“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”- Benjamin Franklin, but not really.

January 31st has felt like a finish line that kept moving further and further away, and now that it is finally here, I am feeling at peace with my work, finances, and goals. Work this week was complete chaos, but I got my Associate number this morning at an all-staff meeting and reached my billable service goal of 40% for the 4th month. I filed my taxes and got my refund directly deposited to my savings, which is a significant relief going forward and gives me a jumpstart on my savings goals for the year. My overall goals were to walk daily with Kelso and reduce my sugar consumption, which I accomplished quickly.

Now, I am reflecting on what can be improved for next month, what goals make sense for the upcoming month, and what is not feasible given my schedule. I am trying my hardest to stay as organized as possible because as I have learned, the less organized I am, the less opportunity I have to be successful.

With February starting and 2025 chugging along, I am hopeful about my personal future. As everyone has told me, 30 is when you start to figure everything out a bit more and fall into comfort. With my 30th birthday in September, I am finally feeling like I have my life figured out and that the plan is feasible. So, moving forward, I am going to continue to work toward my hours for licensure (2200 away!), continue to save more than I spend, and continue to eat less garbage food.

The world is significantly falling apart due to political problems, the Avian flu, and global conflict. I have no power over the world, political powers, and viruses, but I do have control over myself. I will continue to do my job and help people get the services that they need, I will continue to support the people of my community, and I will shop responsibly at establishments that support my beliefs.