For my last posts of my mid-year check-in series, click the links below:
Mid-Year Check-In (1): Releasing a Passion Project
Mid-Year Check-In (2): Playlists to Change for the Better
Mid-Year Check-In (3): I was ALWAYS a Girls’ Girl. I Couldn’t Ever Fathom Being a Pick-Me.
– Cassie Autumn Tran
We’re not always partnered with other human beings, but whether we believe so or not, we’re always in a relationship. Even if we try to eradicate as much of our surroundings as possible, we still hold the relationship to ourselves. All of our relationships with other people, tangible items, or even ideas and social constructs can heavily impact our thought patterns and habits.
I invite you all to evaluate your relationships with absolutely anything and everything, such as:
- Time
- Money
- Your home
- Your job
- Your workplace
- Social media
- Family
- Friendships
- Romantic relationship(s)
- People of other identities and backgrounds
- People that were once a part of your life but are no longer with you
- Religion
- Food
- Your body
- Exercise
- Sleep
- And the list goes on…
Ultimately, the most crucial relationship you need to nurture as much as you can is the relationship you have with yourself. I don’t care how corny that sounds–it’s true! It starts with healthy habits, self-care, setting boundaries, and prioritizing consumption of anything valuable for your evolution. I thought I had it all figured out in high school. Same with entering college. I REALLY believed I found the key when I began my first job. However, 2022 smacked me in the face, rammed me into the ground, leaped into a full body slam, and for the grand finale, released a boulder to run me over. I woke up not knowing at all as to what would be next.
Now, I don’t know when or if I will ever heal everything 100%. That’s because as we grow and mature, we constantly experience new struggles and unpack old, subconscious wounds that need some love. It doesn’t mean we’ll never be fixed. As a matter of fact, we can view being confronted with more challenges as the universe trusting your wisdom more. This isn’t to say that life is supposed to be difficult all the time. You can make it as easy and free-flowing as you wish so as long as you learn to be secure in yourself and the world around you.
For one, I started healing my relationship with talking in front of the camera by uploading my first 30+ minute video where I do nothing but chit-chat! Yes, I still talk about K-Pop on my YouTube channel for the most part.
All my childhood interests have been nurtured more than ever! Yes, including drawing, writing, K-Pop, musical theater, fashion, art, creativity, Disney princesses, anime, and Sanrio. I even created a whole journal dedicated to my inner child’s loves! I highly, highly recommend you spend some time nourishing your inner child’s favorite hobbies, activities, ideas, and objects. Make sure you’re kind to them too. They should feel safe adn loved, not embarrassed or ashamed.
With my relationship with my appearance, I follow this mentality: when in doubt, dress like you’re the love of your life. This isn’t to say that self-love is a completely made-up face. As a matter of fact, sometimes the best thing you can do for your appearance is to give your skin a break and to truly value what you look like if your makeup and designer clothing were to disappear. Again, I’ve been integrating a lot more color variety into my closet and dressing for confidence versus playing it safe.
For reference: I dress with class every day–even in fitness attire– and wear makeup to enhance my natural features 5-6 times a week, but nothing on my face at least 1-2x a week. No skin makeup besides some concealer, sunscreen every day, lash serum every other night, cooler-temperature hair drying every day, and heat treatment only 1-2x a week if at all.
My relationship with money: I finally put out the thoughts that always berate my money saving and spending habits; I never won no matter how little I spent or how much I saved. Don’t be stingy. What’s up with your frivolous behavior? Why do you want to buy that? Aren’t you selling yourself short with going with the cheaper option? Don’t you want to invest in this instead? Nowadays, it’s not about spending less money or tiring myself out for more. Instead, I try to invest wisely and monetize every single little task and hobby that I would do for free anyways. Allow money to grow like flowers and trees instead of pulling them out like weeds or burying them in the sand.
When it comes to my relationship with my diet, I’ve grown significantly more intuitive, although one could argue it’s more 80/20. I try to drink plenty of water (but there’s always room for matcha or coffee depending on my mood!) supplement every single day with a multivitamin, Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium at night, probiotics, and a B complex. There are days where I will have a salad for breakfast and then another time where I’ll eat two scoops of ice cream on one night because I CAN. My girl dinner consists of baked chocolate and peanut butter protein bars because that sounds way more satisfying and tasty than the smallest cube of cheese or some kind of wacky low calorie snack. No, I’m not the “pick-me” sweetie that will berate your plate for being “low vibrational” because it’s more than 300 calories but then also try to eat like one of the boys.
Eye-roll.
Now for my relationship with exercise…well, I’m absolutely THRIVING, GIRL. I’ve still been going strong with Barry’s, [solidcore], and Rebel Kore. A somewhat mortifying confession: running has worked wonders for me. As much as I can dread the beginning of a treadmill sprint, I feel significantly better after hitting my target speeds or even exceeding them. Sure, this may change in the future depending on what my progress looks like. I don’t really rock climb anymore (upper body strength is already fulfilled in the rest of my classes), but I still take jiu-jitsu once a week for coordination and self-defense. For now, I can’t see myself going back to the gym on my own as it really helps to be held accountable by an instructor or coach.
What everyone may be wondering…am I in a romantic relationship? Short answer: no. Long answer: no, and I’m not looking for one anytime soon. I plan on being extremely intentional when I date. Nowadays, too many men I’ve encountered want a sample from anything and everything, and it SHOWS. If they’re not cheap with their money, they’ll be cheap with their time, their affection, and their communication. No thanks.
Goes to show that I am very much so happily and majestically in love with ME.
I’ll leave everyone with this quote:
Have a delightful Thursday!
superfitbabe 
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