Weak for the weeknotes.

Thanks to my career coach @Kimberly Keulers I got in the habit of reflecting on my weekly progress and developments, ie. the weeknotes. I have come to realise that this weekly moment of reflection has a stabilising effect on me. It allows me to see the progress I have made and to cut big undertakings into small, manageable pieces. I believe it’s a key part of the process that got me where I am today and that it can be a valuable tool for various divergent objectives, such as motivating myself, creating a following, replacing newsletters or simply creating a tangible link with those who have similar goals and interests.

More on writing weeknotes here. (thanks to @Ana Osredkar for sharing this post).

1. What actions did I undertake this week?

This week saw me finish off my website. This in itself is a huge success for me. I am a recovering perfectionist and an aspiring good-enoughist. In that sense, launching a website like this after a cumulative 2 days of work, is a huge feat for me. Want to be productive? Perfectionism and productivity don’t go hand in hand! That’s a lesson I have to remind myself of every single day. Feel the spark, use the moment, get someone you trust to proofread what you’ve written, do the necessary fine-tuning, and finish.

2. What insights did I gain this week?

That it’s all in the mindset. If you feel you can achieve anything, you are really half way there. I struggle significantly with a lack of self-confidence (hence the perfectionism) and on my bad days, I believe I will never be able to make a living as a journalist. But on my good days, when I remember that this is what I burn for and what I’m good at, I know it’s all within arm’s reach. Keep the faith!

3. What were the highlights of what happened in my sphere of interest?

- Not directly in my field but nevertheless noteworthy: the creation of a Belgian government after more than a year. Let’s hope this coalition government which consists of 7 different parties has what it takes so this surreal country manages to reinvent itself in the midst of a sanitary and social crisis.

- The closure of a refugee shelter in Bosnia Herzegovina leaving hundreds of people to roam the streets searching for shelter. This only reconfirms the fact that a new EU pact doesn’t mean anything if the will to act isn’t there.

- The end of Julian Assange’s extradition hearing and the complete lack of adequate media coverage thereof.

#weeknotes #reflection #motivation #good-enoughist