Hello and Happy Monday, friends!
I’m back on the blog today to share my April Intentions with all of you. This is a monthly series that I started back at the beginning of March. Essentially this series is meant to fuel a little introspection and personal growth each month. So with that, let’s begin!
April is a particularly important month for me — it marks one year from when I graduated college. I know I’ve talked about it before, but if there’s any point in your early adult life where you actually begin to notice things changing, it’ll be when you graduate from college
It’s crazy to think how far you can come in one year. I have a five-year memory journal that I use, and it documents each day based on a certain prompt. I happened to be reading through some of my entries from last year and it blows my mind to think about how much I’ve changed and how my goals have been reshaped.
April is also Stress Awareness Month, which is why I challenge you to treat yourself, chill out, take a social media break, go to a spa — whatever suits your fancy!
Most importantly, tune into how you’re feeling mentally, physically and emotionally this month, and make positive changes for the future.
Okay, let’s begin with next month’s intentions!
Reflect
Think about where you were this time last year.
Were you in another city? Were you in school?
What were you stressing about?
How have you changed?
How have your goals changed?
Grab a journal and write these things down as a way to remain accountable. As I mentioned above, this time last year I was about to graduate from college and I was living in Athens, Ohio. In all honesty, I was ready to be done with school. I loved college, but I felt like I’d done everything I wished and I was ready to begin my journey into adulthood.
In regard to what I was stressing about last year … HAHA, everything! If you’re in the same boat as I was last year, or you’re just feeling a lot of stress about the future, don’t hesitate to talk to someone. I set up a bunch of calls with some of my mentors, and more importantly, I talked to my friends because we were all experiencing the same things.
Last year, I was stressed about finding a job and I was worried about what people would think of me for leaving college without a job. I was also a little frazzled because I had no idea what my next chapter was. That’s how graduating from college feels for a lot of people. You legitimately have no idea where you are and what’s going on, or at least that’s how it was for me!
Today, almost one year since I graduated, I stress about forgetting my grocery list, getting pictures taken for my blog, and writing appealing content for the clients that I work for.
It truly is humbling to think about how things have changed over the course of one year!
Personal Growth
What are you doing this month to grow or expand your horizons?
Since moving to South Carolina, I’ve had to find comfort in expanding my horizons every single day because it’s just me, myself and I. I’ve had to figure out shit as it comes, and I’ve also had to learn how to do things I never thought I would learn. But, that’s the point of adulthood. It might hit you in the face like a frisbee, but it’s definitely the best learning experience you’ll ever get!
This month, I’m taking growth on the business side of my life by expanding the reach of my brand. I’m really hoping to hone in on my skillset by creating continuous content calendars for my blog, as well as better curating my Instagram, Instagram Stories and Pinterest. It’s kind of weird to work in an industry where you spend each day working to better the online brand of different companies. I’ve definitely learned more than I could have imagined about building a brand, and I hope to start applying what I’ve learned to my own life.
Create
When was the last time that you set aside some time to create something?
When was the last time that your creativity wasn’t forced?
This is something that I’ve found to be incredibly important in 2018. As someone who works in a creative industry, the expectation to be creative all the time can be absolutely exhausting. When your creativity is devoted to something you may not be super passionate about, it can be difficult to be inspired. Forced creativity sucks, and I make a conscious effort to balance it out by putting my creativity into things that I love!
I’ve been spending time every week to work on different DIY projects. I’m creating for the sake of creating, and I love that.
Spruce Up
When was the last time that you really cleaned up?
To me, April marks the start of spring cleaning, and you can take that however you perceive it. Whether it means cleaning out your closet or sprucing up your desk, take some time this month to go out with the old and in with the new.
I think that cleaning up your digital footprint could also be a great way to take on spring cleaning. Spruce up your LinkedIn profile, or make sure that your Instagram best reflects how you want to be seen by future employers — anything like that.
This April, I’m planning on cleaning up my closet and really thinking about what I need/ don’t need anymore. You might not think you have a lot of stuff — that is until you start spring cleaning! However you decide to take it on this spring, have fun with it!
Strategize
Was there a goal that you wanted to accomplish last month but didn’t?
I’ve been talking about building a new website since November, but as you can see we’re still using this one! Trust me, it’s been something that’s been on my mind for a while now because I want to do it right. I’ve been reading books about coding and building websites, and I’ve also been gaining inspiration around me about what exactly I want it to be.
Also, building a website the right way is definitely an investment, which is why I’ve continued to put it off. But, I’ve been telling myself since January that April is the month that I’m going to do it! I’m going to start building my new website. So, stay tuned for that! I’ll be sure to keep all of you updated with my progress!
Well, that’s all I’ve got for ya today! I hope that this Monday is amazing and that your week is full of good vibes! Let me know what your April Intentions are in the comments below!
Until next time!
Alicia <3