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So, I sat down to write a blog post today with absolutely zero plan. No outline, no topic—just me, a blank screen, and the vague idea that I should probably write another blog post. And honestly? That pretty much sums up how I’ve been approaching life lately: figuring it out as I go.
(By the way, I took a detailed personality test recently, and it turns out I’m an Adventurer?? Shocking, but it made a lot of sense when I read the breakdown.)
Ohhh, I have an idea of what to write now. Why not try a recap of March—or… let’s just say… the first quarter of the year? Towards the end, I’ll share some things I absolutely loved that maybe you or someone else can find useful. Sounds good? Okay.
January: The Month of Delusion
You know that “new year, new me” energy? I had it BAD. I showed up to January as if I was auditioning for the role of “Most Productive Human Alive” with a brand new planner and approximately 87 new habits I was going to implement simultaneously.
I would be fully back at work, present for every moment with my baby, have date nights with my husband, get back in the gym, do meal prep, journal, meditate, and probably solve climate change on the side.
As you could expect, that momentum fizzled out pretty quickly. It lasted all of 2, maybe three weeks. In retrospect, I think I took in too much too soon and got overwhelmed. Turns out, you can’t actually pour from an empty cup, no matter how cute your new planner is.
February: The Blur
If January was overcommitment, February was the hangover. I spent most of the month in a productivity-guilt spiral that went something like this:
“I should be doing more → But I’m exhausted → Why am I so exhausted when I haven’t even accomplished anything? → I’ll try harder tomorrow → I should be doing more…”
You get the idea.
The thing about spiralling, though—at least for me—is that I usually know when I’m doing it. I may not be able to stop right away, but I know I’m spiralling—and that has to count for something, right? By late February, I knew I had to do something about how the year was going, and the good thing in this case was that, unlike last February, I didn’t get pregnant in January. There was a chance to get things right. HAHA. Small victories, people.
Enters March.
March: Finding the Rhythm
Something shifted in March. Nothing dramatic—the heavens didn’t open, and nobody handed me a “Congratulations, You’ve Got Your Life Together” certificate. But I started feeling like myself again.
Work became…manageable? I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’ve mastered work-life balance (does anyone, really?), but it looks like I’ve found a sustainable rhythm. I was getting things done without feeling like I was constantly playing catch-up. Projects are moving forward, emails and Slack messages aren’t giving me heart palpitations, and I’ve fallen in love with my company all over again. To sum it up in my husband’s words, “You’re back in your mummy CEO era” lool.
The best part, though, has been spending wholesome, quality time with my family and closest friends. We even managed to find a new hobby—paddle tennis. By the way, I highly recommend this—or just any form of hobby or something you can do to recover at the end of the week.
In summary, March somehow managed to fly by and drag on forever simultaneously—if you understand this paradox, welcome to the club. (IYKYK, as the kids say).
Anyway, now that I’ve dragged you through the emotions of my Q1 journey (you’re welcome!), let me share a few highlights of March – aka the best one.
1. Paddle Tennis
We started a family tradition of doing something to get out of the house on Sundays. One Sunday, we went out for breakfast at this fine aesthetic restaurant. What caught my eye wasn’t the overpriced avocado toast but these people who walked in looking disgustingly fresh in tennis outfits. It turns out there was a paddle court nearby. We booked a court the following week, and now, we tell anyone who cares to listen, about paddle tennis. The courts are smaller than regular tennis so you don’t feel like you’re dying running after balls, but you still burn a ridiculous amount of calories. We’ve gone from complete beginners to slightly-less-terrible beginners, and it’s honestly the highlight of our week nowadays.
2. 16Personality Test
So I did something kinda terrifying this month – I took the 16Personalities test. I’ve been avoiding these things FOREVER. Why? Because I always believed I could manipulate the results based on whatever I put in the answer. I could just answer questions based on who I wanted to be rather than who I actually am. “Do you prefer a night out or a quiet evening in?” Well, depends if you think introverts are cooler, doesn’t it?
But if I’m being honest with myself (and you now), there was this deeper fear lurking. What if the results were too accurate? What if some algorithm knew me better than I knew myself?
Like, I’m fully aware I can get emotional about things – I once cried over a coffee shop getting my order wrong after a particularly rough day (actually this might have been pregnancy hormone last year). But seeing “you make decisions based on feelings rather than logic” in black and white hits different, you know? It’s like yeah, I KNOW that, but I don’t need a TEST to call me out.
Anyway, I finally bit the bullet and took it. And…it was weirdly validating? Like why I can spend hours perfecting something no one else will even notice, or why I have seventeen half-finished projects sitting around. So maybe there’s something to these personality tests after all.
Reading through the whole thing had me like “wait, how did they get inside my brain?” Or maybe I’m just being totally on-brand by overthinking a personality quiz. Either way, it’s been food for thought this month.
The funniest part was showing my husband the results. He just nodded and said, “I could have told you all of this without the test.” THANKS, KAY. Very helpful.
But seriously, there are many sites for personality tests and quizes but I recommend this particular one. They did a good job of diving into personality traits, strengths and weaknesses, career path, relationships, personal growth and lots more.
Looking Ahead (Gently)
This article is getting wayyyy too long for an unplanned one, but I want to leave you with this.
I’m approaching Q2 with cautious optimism. I’ve learned the hard way that my capacity ebbs and flows—and that’s not a failure; it’s just being human. Some seasons are for pushing forward, and others are for regrouping. The trick seems to be recognizing which season you’re in.
So here’s to finding your rhythm, whatever that looks like right now. To being gentle with yourself when the momentum fades. To celebrating the small victories. And to remembering that even the blur months are part of the journey.
love, MJ