Happy New Year!
Welcome to the first issue of my newsletter. I don’t know what to call it yet, but I’m gonna blog like no one’s watching (or reading) — no filters, no regards for views or metrics — just writing for pure unadulterated joy.
To start the year off on a good note, I’d like to share some of my 2022 highlights. I wanted to do a year recap (like Alice Lemee did), but maybe some other time.
—
✨ Top 5 highlights of 2022
Got LASIK.
I’ve been wearing glasses for 22 years (I started wearing ‘em at 8 or 9 years old).
Having been bespectacled for more than half my life, I made it one of my 2022 goals to finally get LASIK.
Thankfully, Borough LASIK Center opened in Davao last year. I didn’t have to travel to Manila (which meant extra expenses on top of the fee).
The fee wasn’t also that bad. It cost me $1,000 — a steal for good eyesight. 👀
I got the TransPRK surgery because my corneas were too thin. It’s a non-surgical procedure similar to LASIK, but the doctor uses the laser to purely shape your corneas. With LASIK, the doctor creates a flap on your corneas then shapes it using the laser.
If you’re scared, there’s no need to worry at all. Everything happened so fast and the laser is literally thinner than a strand of hair.
I went from 650/625 to 20/16 vision :)
PS. While we’re at it, finally had my braces removed after three long years! Goodbye glasses and metal mouth in 2022. :P
Went to Canada. 🇨🇦
Last year, my best friend hired me for a project she was heading.
It was a government-funded project that involved upskilling people from the military. The training would take place in Canada. I wrote the proposal and would be doing the documentation. It took a year for all the administrative work (budgets, approvals, etc) to push through, but thankfully, we left for Canada in November 2022.
It was my first time outside Asia.
It was my first long-haul flight (now I know why people insist on getting first-class tickets, btw) and my first snowfall experience. ❄️
I’m a tropical girl at heart and easily get cold, so I didn’t think I would survive below-zero temps. But thank God for Uniqlo ultra-warm heat-tech! 🙌
The program was in Toronto, but we also visited Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec.
Started indoor cycling. 🚴♀️
At the beginning of 2022, I vowed to allot more time for fitness.
I had made it a 2021 goal of mine but failed to see it through because I kept revenge travelling. 🧳
I made sure to stay put throughout 2022, though because I recognized the need to remain in one place to make the habit stick and the routine work for me.
My former workout of choice was boxing, but the boxing gym was too far from our place. The cycling studio was near, though, so I gave it a shot.
My first session was just a sad attempt. I couldn’t keep up with the instructors or the class, and I easily got short of breath. But I kept going.
What I like about the workout is that although there are so many of you in class, you don’t notice other people because you’re just trying to keep up.
Over time, I saw minor improvements, like finishing a class without stopping to rest or doing a class without modifications. I graduated to doing two classes in a row and then doing more advanced classes by the end of the year.
I keep saying this, but I love cycling because for 50 minutes, I get to focus on myself. No distractions, no thoughts about work — it’s just me competing with myself.
Watched my first concert. 🎫
Would you believe I hadn’t been to a concert before the pandemic?
I’ve always wanted to go to one (hello, to the three previous times Taylor Swift was in Manila) but never could afford to until now. I watched the LANY concert with my sisters, cousins, and friends. The experience was even more special because I went with them.
(Back story: My sister and I would never admit we liked LANY because a lot of people liked them, which we thought made us basic. But after the pandemic, we promised we’d attend one of their concerts. And so we did. ✅)
My first byline!
In 2022, I started putting myself out there professionally.
I created a separate Twitter account for freelancing in February.
I started working with other freelancers in April (still ghostwriting).
I met and befriended other freelancers around the same time (hello, Jul!)
I wanted to get bylines though, so I started pitching GoDaddy (and other publications) in May. I didn’t hear back from the others, but I’m glad I heard from GoDaddy’s Managing Editor, Lauren. GoDaddy ended up publishing two of my articles.
I’m really proud of this article — it currently sits at the top result for the keyword ‘no-code tools for freelancers’.
—
📚 Top Reads in 2022
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy — I wasn’t an iCarly or Sam and Cat fan to begin with; I was drawn by the controversial title and good reviews. Verdict: worth a buy.
(PS. It took a while for this book to reach Philippine shores so signed up for Audible’s free trial just to listen to it. Listening to Jennette narrate her story added more depth and character to it.)
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid — Having read TJR’s other books, she’s a hit or miss for me. This one was a solid one, IMO. Easily my favorite along with Evelyn Hugo.
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles — Impeccable writing, as always.
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley — Highly recommended read for people who write on the web. Now I know people of freelance Twitter keep quoting this book. :)
Company of One by Paul Jarvis — You don’t necessarily have to go large to say you’ve built a successful business. One of the few non-fiction books I read in 2022. 😅
Let’s connect on Goodreads.
—
🎯 Top 5 Goals of 2023
I thought twice about sharing these goals so publicly, but I got a good response on Twitter.
And then I thought, it probably helps to put everything out there.
There are beautiful souls that will help you and connect you to the right people.
My goals:
Career:
✍️ Bylines in HubSpot, SproutSocial, Kinsta, Search Engine Journal, WordPress, Buffer, ConvertKit, Shopify, and Zapier. (I have ghostwritten for the first four, so it would be nice to see my name up there!)
🐤 Grow my Twitter and LinkedIn community to 5,000 followers. I just reached 1,000 on both platforms, and they say the first 1,000 is the hardest. Everything will follow after. Hope that’s true!
(Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn!)
💰 3x my income. I made 1.5x more in 2022 than I did my first year of freelancing. This year, I wish to earn more while writing less.
👩🏫 Teach a course on freelancing and writing. A lot of friends have been telling me to teach or get into YouTube. Teaching a course is a great first step. Hopefully, we can make this happen!
Personal:
🇵🇹 Move to Portugal on a digital nomad visa. There’s a reason why I want to earn more: I plan on moving to Europe by the third quarter of 2023. While I meet the income goal some months, I’d like a steadier, more reliable income to make those dreams happen.
💌 Continue writing this newsletter. Maybe we can make this a monthly (or even bi-weekly) thing?
📖 Read 52 books. Last year, I aimed for 31 books and ended up reading 40. Can I outdo myself and read one book a week? Let’s see.
(Current read: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin)
🛞 Learn how to drive. I’ve been putting it off since 2020!
💵 Cut back on expenses to invest. I earned more in 2022, but I also spent more. I think a year of spending money in fun ways is enough. I got the bags, shoes, clothes, and jewelry I want. It’s high time I tempered back on expenses so I can reach my financial goals faster.
—
So there you have it.
What are your own highlights of 2022?
What are you looking forward to in 2023?
I’d love to hear ‘em!