Introducing…

Wow! It’s been so long since I last updated! I’ll spare you the half-hearted declarations of ‘life’s been busy’ and ‘work got so crazy’. While it’s all true, it’s not the reason I’ve been radio silent these past couple of months. But before I get into that, let’s do a life update.

I’m still living in South Korea as an English teacher, but in just two weeks I’ll be moving back to Seoul! At first, I was hesitant to take a job in the capital as COVID cases are highest there, but just this past week, Jeonju has seen such a massive increase in positive cases that it’s about the same everywhere. My house is currently full of boxes, my suitcases stuffed with things I don’t remember having to work so hard to pack last time, and I’m sitting in the middle of it all, hunched over my laptop and eating Sun Chips straight from the bag. What a life. (Said without sarcasm. I love me some Sun Chips.)

I’m really excited about this move, particularly because it comes with an apartment upgrade! A friend of mine had also taken a job in Seoul, so we decided to pool our resources and get an apartment together. So, this means that we have a decent-sized living space, a kitchen with plenty of storage, a four-burner stovetop, and a full-sized fridge and freezer! While I’m going to miss my life here in Jeonju, particularly the friends I’ve made, I know that this move is a great opportunity.

When I was last in Seoul, exactly one year ago, I was struggling. I didn’t have many friends, was trapped in my dorm room most of the day with online classes, and was not financially secure. (I mean, I’m still not financially secure, but more on that later.) My depression had resurfaced with a fury and there were many days that I didn’t leave bed.

Now, while I still have depression (see definition of ‘chronic’) I am going back to the city with a much better outlook and a support system. I’m back in therapy, get outside more often, and remember to have fun. I have friends who value me for who I am, not someone they want me to be. I have goals for the future and a game plan to make them a reality.

But, Alex! If life is all hunky-dory, why haven’t we heard from you? Ah, metaphoric person used as a segue, what a good question! Simple answer: I lost motivation. I’ve been focused on other things, namely surviving, so my blog took, less of a back seat, and more a totally different car. But that brings me to what this is really about: regaining motivation.

I’ve been very fortunate this past year to have met people who are much wiser than I am. Because of their friendships and advice, I’ve grown. Each of my friends helped me in different areas of my life, but all their support has added up to a big reality check: I control my own life. Now that’s not to say I can control every aspect of my life. We are living in a global pandemic, and while I’d end it if I could, no matter how many panic attacks I have about germs, this isn’t going away any time soon. I can’t control other people’s actions or reactions, I can’t always control my situation or circumstances, but there are many things I can control. And I’m determined to do so. So, without further ado, introducing…

The Dream Life Project!

There are things I want to accomplish in life. Some of these things are long-term goals, like “get my master’s degree in women’s studies”. Some are more vague, like “become less materialistic”. But this past year, with all the wonderful support and nudges from friends, I’ve realized that all of the things I dream about are possible. Well okay, not all of them, but that’s only because my Hogwarts letter has yet to arrive.

I sat down earlier this month and made a list of all the things I dream of, vague and specific. All the things the Dream Alex has done, is doing, or has accomplished. This is what I ended up with:

• Write on the blog more
• Keep a tidy home
• Become less materialistic
• Eat more fruits and veggies, less processed sugar
• Go up a level in Korean
• Become physically strong
• Rely fully on God
• Tame that sleep schedule
• Stay hydrated
• Kick caffeine to the curb
• Become financially secure
• Treat yo self
• Volunteer
• Travel more
• Be grateful for what I have
• Connect with family

At first, this list seemed overwhelming. But then my Type-A side kicked in and I was able to break it down into a month-by-month to-do list. Some of these tasks are best tackled one month at a time, others require a little work every day.

So for the next 12 months, I will be working on this list. Tackling my to-do’s for the month, completing little tasks every day, and updating my progress on my blog. Success will not be easy, but it is also not impossible.

So, here we go! Let the Dream Life Project begin!