Prelude
It’s the first of August and eight days until my 40th birthday. This year has been entirely mental, and July ended in spectacular fashion, so to not be outdone by the events that preceded it.
The Journey
Setting Expectations Every day, I will be writing from a variety of topics. I don’t know what each post’s subject will be for each day, but I’ve written a long list that I’ve self-reflected and
Embracing
A hug is so familiar that sometimes it happens without notice. Whether used as a greeting, an act of love, a happy moment between friends, security or assurance, or used to solidify a departure, it’s
In Between Embracing and Duality
This will be harder than I thought, but not in the way I expected it. I woke up today, mentally pulled in many directions. Now that I am tearing down my barriers and sharing, the
Duality
As a Greek American, I am continually balancing two strong national identities. On the one side, I am, in many ways, proud to be an American. On another, I find myself trying to hide that
In Between Duality and Barriers
After two posts, I’ve heard a lot of feedback and support for my journey. It feels like a lot of energy and love coming at me, though a little overwhelming at the same time. I’m
Barriers
Looking back, I can see I felt it was easier to put up barriers and hide bits and pieces of me away. In some cases, I would do it to avoid something I didn’t want
In Between Barriers and Timing
Yesterday, I saw the news on social media about the explosion in Beirut, minutes after it happened. I watched and rewatched the videos trying to understand what I was viewing since it was too early
Timing
When the world is going through so much, it’s hard for me to focus on myself and continue with my project. Once I started thinking about it more, maybe it took a move to a
In Between Timing and Distractions
As I write each day, it feels like I’m shedding layers and adding new ones as I hear feedback on what I am writing. There is a constant tug and pull we feel from external
Distractions
In the true fashion of this post title, I am very late to posting because I felt wholly distracted this week. To complete the post, I took many breaks that I rationalized in one way
In Between Distractions and Influence
I woke up this morning in a bit of a panic. Today is the 7th day of my project and the end of the first week. Writing every day has been a challenge in both
Influence
In the professional world, influencing others is a skill where we need to give and take to earn for our employers. All parties involved know each is seeking something of value, and they come to
In Between Influence and Ageing
Today is my 40th birthday. Leading up to turning 40, I haven’t felt any different, though some may say this project is my midlife crisis. As lockdown continued, I thought back on all the things
Ageing
The stigma around ageing impacts most of us in one way or another. Ageing was never something that scared me or that I actively tried to reverse, though I often found myself reacting to the
In Between Ageing and Wanderlust
Today, waking up brings a sense of joy and excitement as I will be traveling from London to Athens for an extended stay. I went for a weekend in July, which gave me a glimpse
Wanderlust
Whenever I get in deep conversations with people, I eventually ask them if they ever felt they had a purpose. It may sound like a ridiculous question to ask. When asked at the right time,
In Between Wanderlust and Home
I arrived in Greece just after midnight. This trip felt a little different. The last time I was here, I met with a friend from Madrid, and we had a fantastic weekend with great food,
Home
Everywhere I travel, I remember the smell of it, each destination serving a sensory mix of local flora, cuisine, and the people. When I close my eyes and think of places I’ve traveled, sometimes the
In Between Home and Heartbreak
At this point in my journey, it is becoming difficult to write. Writing every day can be mentally exhausting, pouring my inner thoughts to the world, hoping they will be received well. The topics that
Heartbreak
Heartbreak is one of the more complex scenarios we go through in life, and it’s one we all share, in one form or another, and we all react to it differently. When it happens at
In Between Heartbreak and Surrender
Today I woke up and felt like a truck had run me over. The ebb and flow of mental and physical health can take its toll when you push your mind and body to their
Surrender
Throughout history, the topic of surrendering is usually conveyed as part of a battle or war story where the loser gives up the fight. There’s often talk of a white flag being waved and everyone
In Between Surrender and Discipline
I had all the good intentions to make it out early and watch the sunrise, but I prioritized sleep over adventure. I think that this was the right choice for today. I will have to
Discipline
Discipline has always held both negative and positive memories for me. While discipline from others never came in a positive light, structuring my life and activities helps me discipline my mind and focus on my
In Between Discipline and Legacy
This morning I woke up to walk to the waterfront and watch the sunrise. I had been planning to do it for almost a week and never prioritized it, even though it was one of
Legacy
What will you leave behind when you are gone? How do I want to be remembered? These are questions I have been asking myself as I decide the next path I take on my journey.
In Between Legacy and Obligation
This morning, much to my surprise, I slept in late. I slept 13-hours, and it was the best decision. I have had a hard week, and I need to prioritize my physical health over the
Obligation
Our family makes decisions for us, even before we are born, and we have to live with those decisions, for the most part, forever. A mother decides what the baby will eat while in the
In Between Obligation and Change
Today feels like a bit of a void. I don’t have the motivation to go out; it may be the heat or too much sleep in the days before. It’s also a quiet day in
Change
Ugh, the only constant in life, and such an unwavering force. It’s the only thing we can count on these days. Everything else seems fallible. It’s such a cliche that I won’t wax poetic on
In Between Change and Fright
In the spirit of trying to mix things up, I decided to leave more windows open last night to cool my apartment; it’s been a scorcher in Athens. Sometimes, getting yourself out of your habits
Fright
Do you remember what you were scared of when you were a kid? Growing up, I had several things that frightened me at home. The two that I vividly remember were 1) I always thought
In Between Fright and Misdirection
I woke up again today, and the bats were back. They may have put an official damper on my morning meditation and yoga routine. It never fails that life throws you a curveball when you
Misdirection
This morning, I have been thinking through topics that I’m not ready to share yet more than stories I’m comfortable sharing. It got me thinking about other times when I didn’t want to talk about
In Between Misdirection and Achoo
I woke up this morning with a sore throat and dizziness; this usually happens when I have an allergic reaction to something. In this case, it may be the dust. I didn’t clean the apartment
Achoo
All my life, I’ve had allergies, and I’m envious of people who have never had to deal with them. They can be crippling and make you question your capacity to survive and function. For me,
In Between Achoo and Expectations
I’m feeling a bit better today, so I don’t think I have coronavirus. Sometimes you just need the rest, and it’s that simple. This morning I have a little more energy than the day before,
Expectations
It’s natural to think ahead and plan for what you know is to come. We make a list of what we need or who we will see. We get excited at the thought of what
In Between Expectations and Lost
Some days I wake up and feel like something is missing. I have energy. I feel like I am doing the right things. I’m making good decisions. I feel relatively positive today, but I don’t
Lost
Being lost isn’t a state of being that people usually try to achieve. The concept of being lost is someone who doesn’t know where they are, and in some cases, don’t know who they are.
In Between Lost and Beginnings
I woke up feeling like I needed to reach out to someone specific, so I did, but it came with a sense of relief and complete dread at what their response may be and even
Beginnings
Have you ever made a decision that changed everything for you or someone else? Did you know it would change what it did? How did you let it impact you moving forward? Every moment is
In Between Beginnings and Learning
I woke up today thinking about where I am going. This project has been eye-opening, and I feel today is the start of something new, though I don’t know what will become of it. There
Learning
Over my lengthy educational career, I learned a lot. For those who don’t know me, I went to college for a total of 11 years. I ended up with five degrees in technology, design, and
In Between Learning and Motivation
Sore. It’s the only word that can describe how I feel today. I didn’t sleep well after injuring myself the day before. Yesterday, I took a day trip to the island of Aegina for a
Motivation
There are reasons and root causes for everything we do, good and bad. We find our energy and motivation through subjective reasoning, usually driven by the outcomes and learnings from very personal experiences. Sometimes timing
In Between Motivation and Sustainability
Like the calendar itself, some days feel like a repeat of the years prior, and a familiar feeling comes over you. As I get closer to the end of August and nearing the end of
Sustainability
Sustainability should always be considered. Whether it’s deciding what to purchase or consume, so we don’t contribute to climate change, what to take on in our lives, how much time or energy you plan to
In Between Sustainability and Recovery
Today I woke up without a particular inspiration. I didn’t sleep well due to my leg, so that may be part of the reason. It may also be the worry of so much work to
Recovery
Recovery is an uphill battle. For it to be successful, you have to understand what you’re recovering from, what got you to the point of needing recovery, and how to work through it to meet
In Between Recovery and Preparation
My leg is still in a lot of pain, even with the meds the doctor gave me. It’s been hard to sleep in any position, and it’s starting to make me anxious. My friend is
Preparation
Cooking has always been something that brought me peace. The act of preparing food and layering in flavors to create palate-pleasing bites of goodness always makes me happy, or at least feel better. When cooking,
In Between Preparation and Autonomy
In the last few days, I have felt restless, and I think it’s because I know I have to return to London soon, which brings its own set of requirements and obligations. I’m not looking
Autonomy
While the word itself has many negative connotations, I always had an unspoken respect for people who could live their lives as vagabonds. The ability to survive while wandering the globe with few personal possessions,
In Between Autonomy and Connections
I woke up this morning to hear of the passing of Chadwick Boseman, the actor that played Black Panther in the Marvel movies. I remember going to a fans-only night the evening before the official
Connections
Throughout our lives, we make thousands of connections with people we meet, the places we experience, and the things we hold on to that make us feel whole, safe, or equipped to live the life
In Between Connections and Calm
I only have a couple more days with my project, and it feels like I have only just begun. I know I won’t stop writing, but I’m a little worried I won’t be as motivated
Calm
Being near the waters has always been calming for me. I grew up in Seattle, Washington, in the United States, and was always close to the water growing up. I loved that it had an
In Between Calm and Close
This project has been a trip, literally and figuratively. Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed being half-naked in the heat, even if I had to work most of the day while the sun
Close
I’m more than a month late in publishing this, not because it wasn’t written on the last day of August, but because I wasn’t ready to end my project. I have fought this moment for