Life has been a rollercoaster as of late, as I’ve seen myself making decisions, taking some uncomfortable positions, and going through transitions since that is how life will always roll. That crazy ride I have been on lately is what explains why I’ve been absent from this digital space.
I haven’t posted anything properly since May this year, and that’s embarrassing but my head has been all over the place. I hope this entry can help explain a thing or two, even though I won’t dwell on fully detailed information, because this is the damn internet, I will try my best to explain myself and my thought process as of late.
I will divide this life update into three parts: decisions, positions, and transitions, and the reasoning behind everything.
Decisions
I will turn 30 within a few weeks’ time… and the moment of reckoning is approaching. For some people, turning 30 is eventful and magical, while for me it’s just weird as hell. Yes, weird. Probably being an only child, with lots of things to work on, and who has always loved celebrating his birthday, the vibe isn’t vibing as much as it would’ve previously. And I think I have to make peace with not feeling my birthday as much as I would normally feel it.
The decisions coming my way are plenty and vary. From my finances to wondering about my own future, and even my political aspirations, there is a lot going on at the same time and my brain is working overtime.
Working on my health, both physical and mental, remains a priority for me. Some stuff needs to be sorted out for me to start taking better steps at loving and taking care of myself more properly. This time around I am more determined to find balance, and ensure that I am successful on this quest for once.
I regularly say that I am a financial trainwreck on the road to recovery. This way of framing it makes me feel less guilty about how terrible I am with money, but I’m always finding ways to stay on top of my business and keep it alive (including my impressively good credit!). Again, I’m a work in progress, there’s always room for recovery and that is where I want to be within a few years’ time: financially responsible and approaching “freedom”.
Positions
This second segment will be all (or mostly) about politics. And trust and believe, this will be a little awkward, as probably I might be talking too much mess on the internet.
I define myself as a progressive-leaning individual, with a more conservative approach when it comes to economics and taxation (they’re hard to understand for me, even now that I am surrounded by a bunch of economists at work). Many countries are dealing with a messy electoral campaign in the coming months, and the Dominican Republic will face two elections between now and May next year.
Our municipal elections take place in February, with the general election coming over in May. Compared to previous elections, I am in a weird spot. After switching professional pathways in 2021, dealing with elections and the subsequent campaign is a more surrealistic (still not sure if this is 100% the right word, but please try to get the memo) experience, especially when you take into consideration how things operate in the Dominican Republic.
Most people I know, or I am friends with, either don’t mind their local politics and politicians or truly are involved in local politics and with politicians. Apathy towards politics runs high amongst DR youth, and this was recently highlighted in a study published recently. And here’s where my dilemma comes into play: I have some good friends of mine running for office, and at the same time, my immediate family has very straightforward positions I’m not fully onboard with.
Being in this weird position of choosing between your individual interests over other ambitions you might have is not comfortable. I don’t like it, and this feels weird because as rebellious as I can be, if you push me a lot I tend to shove back harshly. So sadly, the best decision I can take now is to abstain from as many political activities as possible and exercise my right to vote when it’s due.
Transitions
My transitions right now cover my friendships, my job, and my life, like it’s a challenging time and a moment of reckoning the one I am right now.
Hitting the big 3-0, together with some recent health scares that happened with my family, is pushing me towards truly focusing on becoming the healthiest version of myself as I possibly can. Lots of questions on what to do, or which are the more appropriate steps for me to achieve what I envision, do come to mind. Achieving health can be a complex process for most people, and I am scared to make a mistake that would send me into a hole of debt and sickness.
Trying to achieve more savvy decision-making when it comes to money, also comes into my plan towards the future. Nobody prepares you for when your parents age, and I am about to enter a crash course on that matter.
So, I think my 30th year on earth will be all about to start transitioning into the man I’ve always wanted to be. Yes, all about that, and it even sounds cute and all.
I might cover some of these comments, thoughts, and ideas again during my birthday post coming in December. These are all of my life updates for now.
Until next time!