For those who usually stalk my blog every other day, you probably know that I usually write down my new year’s resolution here and review it every June to see how close I get to my goals or whether I give up yet. LOL.
Last year, I didn’t get a chance to write down my new year’s resolution as I got a bit busy with some other stuff that I couldn’t even think of goals to achieve this year. With the pandemic going, it’s even harder for me to think of something to motivate me for the year. Besides, I already mentioned some wishes I’ve got for the next decade a few years ago. So I guess that counts. LOL.
But this time, June almost ends, and I think it’s only fair to keep myself checked on how my life goes without any resolutions this year. Recently, I’ve made some life changes that I’m not even sure whether it would work well for me. But just like every time, I’m just trying to wing it and hope for the best.
So, what has happened in 2021 so far?!
2021 at a Glance
This year, I would consider myself lucky as I started my year with some good news. The new business line that I co-founded with my sister and a friend started growing. I was selected as one of the grantees for Future Females Business School, collaborating with the UK-Indonesia Tech Hub.
As a result, though, I was a bit struggling with adjusting my time management. At some point, I felt depressed as I decided that I might need some professional help. I booked an online therapy session for the first time a few months ago. I wanted to see if I’d feel better after the therapy since things had been a bit overwhelming for me at the time. Well, I did. So, no regret about it.
However, other than that I feel like I’m in a good place right now. I just need to make some efforts about how I want to strategize some new things moving forward, especially since I’ve made some changes recently.
1. Letting go of my former clients for years.
In case you didn’t know, I had been working with a few clients for years ever since I started working remotely in 2017. I worked for some local clients as a remote copywriter. I also started working as a subcontractor virtual assistant for a USA-based client.
This year, I had to part ways with those clients due to the change of strategy on their end. The local clients need an in-house copywriter who could work from their office on a daily basis, while the USA-based client moved into the new direction that my service was no longer needed.
If I gotta be honest, I was both relieved and nervous at the same time about it. First, I was relieved because I feel like I’m no longer enthusiastic about the work for those clients after years. But then I was nervous because most of my constant income came from them, so losing them means that I no longer have that stability in terms of my revenue.
But even with the situation, I still count my blessing for the next thing…
2. Building my own empire.
Well, I’m not Kim K, but I have my own thing going on.
So, even when I had to go part ways with my former clients, I still had my business to fall into. A few years ago, I was planning to start a business with my ex, but the idea failed, and so did my relationship.
But I awakened the idea by asking my sister and a friend to be my co-founder for the business idea that I already have. Savviesticated, a virtual assistant agency that we co-founded, started growing earlier this year. Last month, we reached our first 4-figure revenue per month. It wasn’t a lot, but it’s something!
At least, the income that I got from Savviesticated can now cover the loss from letting go of my former clients. Bonus point is that I started hiring some freelancers too, which kinda helped given the idea that many people could really use some extra money to get by in this business climate.
3. Learning new things and beyond!
I’m a nerd by heart, and you know how intense I could get when I’m passionate about something. This year, that’s what happened!
I started 2021 by learning Serbian while at the same time trying to improve my Turkish through Italki. It went okay for a while, until I got super swamped, and then I just didn’t have time to schedule another session with my teacher of both languages until now.
I also got a chance to attend Future Female Business School as I was granted a scholarship by the UK-Indonesia Tech Hub, and I could learn more details about running a business properly. As a result, I’ve implemented them to make sure that I could run my business the right way.
Come to think of it, I really didn’t care about the certificate when I first applied for the program. I just needed some insights about how to run a business properly.
4. Planning out my next trip.
And the reason why I started learning Serbian and Turkish is that… I’m going there later this year!
I just couldn’t help it, as I got some promo for a flight ticket to Istanbul a few months ago. And I bought it, assuming that by the end of the year, I would already get vaccinated, so maybe it’d put me on the ease with the idea of traveling again.
Unfortunately, I’m still yet to travel to Croatia since the Schengen visa application is still closed for the tourist visa. But I’m already planning out 3 months in between Turkey and Serbia for a start.
I’ve already planned out a trip with Vika in Turkey, and I’m trying to convince Dora to come to Serbia so we could finally meet in person after we’ve been friends for like 18 years online!!!!
Now, I’m still waiting for the confirmation about when I’ll get vaccinated. Hopefully, it’ll be done by October since I’ll be scheduled to leave Indonesia by November. Yayyyyy!!!
5. Sorting out my life in general.
My friend slash business partner, Gema, just got a job at some hotel in Bandung, and I got a chance to have a staycation there yesterday. We talked about how far we got for Savviesticated, given the idea we just started last year.
Last month, we offboarded a client, but we got a new client that Gema was so convinced that I had a stroke of good luck to maintain this business.
And then I told him that a client who ghosted me and didn’t pay me for my work last year approached me again to offer some new gigs. Which is a good timing, given the idea I recently let go of my former clients. So after reminding them that they got some outstanding payments in the past, they paid me and sent me some new projects.
Voluntarily, I told Gema that so far, I have a bit of good luck when it comes to what I do. But not so much when it comes to love and relationship. LOL.
When I broke up with my last ex, I got the credit for Savviesticated that I eventually rebranded and co-founded with Gema and my sister. Before then, I also dated a guy, and just a few weeks after I broke up with him, I got connected with my former client in the USA. The one that I just let go earlier this year after working for almost 3 years together.
I told Gema that at this point, I think my career has a better luck than my love life… So be it. I don’t know whether finding the right person is in store for my love life, but my dating life is practically on hold.
Even for my career, I think I’m gonna slow down for a bit since now I get a chance to slow down. I realized that things have been a bit overwhelming in the past few months, and I think I need some time off would do me good.
After so long, I fall out of love with everything. My job, my blog, my life… I need to sort things out myself, and I can only do it by appreciating little things in life.
So yeah, that’s what happened in my 2021 so far… How about you?! Share in the comment below, and cheerio! 😉
