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September 2021 + Q3 Intentions

September 1, 2021

My Thoughts

Happy September! Quarter 3 has been a season of keeping my head down and doing as much deep work as possible. While life continues to feel hectic, busy, and full of never-ending tasks in certain areas, it also feels like time is standing still in others. Work-life has been quite demanding AND life-giving, but my personal time and leisure activities have still been minimal given the continued progression of this pandemic. Honestly, time has been tricky and hard to grapple with this past year, and I feel that more than ever this season.

So as we head into the last month of Quarter 3, I’m evaluating where we’re at with all things AOP. We’re looking at some significant changes, what we need to say goodbye to to give room for new growth, and just spending more time doing deep work (P.S. – If you haven’t had an opportunity to read Deep Work by Cal Newport do so! It’s a must read for finding focus in a distracted world).

Things are going to intentionally look different this month, and that’s for the better for us, for you, for our clients, for everyone. And we’re thrilled about it. Scroll below for a breakdown of what’s to come for the month of September.

And before we get there, for reference here are my 2021 intentions and where I started the year. As always my intentions shift and change through time allowing them to be fluid to serve my life well. I’m a firm believer that goals and intentions are meant to serve you, not the other way around. While things do change, I always find it helpful to check back in on these initial intentions and see what feels right to carry forward and what needs to be left behind in this season. I hope you give yourself permission to do the same.

September 2021

PERSONAL

  • No electronics around and at bedtime/in our bedroom (i.e. no phone, computer, tv). I’m working really hard this season to shut out distraction of the unimportant.
  • Continue with my 2021 reading list…with a few additions:
    • This month I’m also reading The Women They Could Not Silence and Neverwhere
      • P.S. – I’m reading The Women They Could Not Silence with Sharon Says So and the #GoverNerds. If you are looking for a welcoming place to learn about American government, politics, and world events I highly recommend this community. It’s been a safe space for me to connect and learn this past year.
  • Make time to needlepoint. This isn’t necessarily a “goal” or something to happen on a timeline, but instead just a way to unwind and clear my head. I’m not the best at downtime, so I’m trying to work it in more these days. I’ve been getting my favorite patterns here if you’re interested.
  • Meditate daily
  • Continue masked in person workouts at M3 Yoga and the Studio

AOP

  • Photograph one colorful and joyful AOP wedding and celebrate this couple well
  • Deliver a few stunning galleries!
  • Create custom products for our couples because printing your memories is key!
  • Send out a monthly AOP Dispatch
  • Spend some intentional time on education and growth. I don’t feel quite ready to share details about this yet, but will as things develop.
  • Take a month off social media. Yup – it’s time. As an artist social media can often feel stifling, especially as a highly sensitive person in a season of deep work and change. Instead of filling your feed with fluff we’re spending the month of September focusing on our craft, doing deep work, and not intaking all the content on social media. This topic deserves more than the space I have to give it here, so stay tuned for an upcoming journal entry on this. In the meantime if you’re feeling overwhelmed by social media I recommend listening to this podcast episode by Nancy Ray. It’s a must listen and sums up lots of my feelings well.

SCIENCE

  • Writing, writing, writing! And throw in some data analysis in the mix and…repeat. I’m aiming to submit my next paper this Fall. With that comes a diligent writing and analysis schedule….aka it’s pretty much how I spend the bulk of my days in this season.
  • Continue to grow my metabolomics knowledge. Read 1 paper daily.
  • Work on several grant applications.

TO FOLLOW ALONG AND STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL THINGS AOP, SIGN UP FOR THE AOP DISPATCH! As we won’t be posting on social media for the month of September, follow along via the monthly AOP Dispatch and new journal entries weekly.

Cheers to a beautiful, and hopefully cool, September and wonderful end to Quarter 3.