"Personal Development Plan"

Being in graduate school brought forth questions about my purpose in life. Today I had a serious desire to drop out from my class. I certainly do not enjoy my class. Being 30, I am not as sharp as I was back when I was in culinary school. The lectures are wordy and lengthy, the assessments are entirely essays, and focused on corporate writings, simply put, boring. 

But then there are things I liked about returning to school. I plan my outfit, I get to study in an equipped library with multitude of resources, free wifi, free water, clean comfort room, and quiet workspace where eating and snacking is allowed, and air-conditioning/heater is free. My ate supports my continuing education, an opportunity not every Filipino students get. Learning in this age is challenging. I am in the age where my mates are either getting married or expecting or landing the top of the ladder, and meanwhile I am swept in a bubble of corporate jargons, competencies, and never ending qualifications in Certificate IV this, Certificate IV that.

Today however, I found an interesting part in the module aimed for students to draft a Personal Development Plan. In other words, a Vision Board but more structured, and more corporate. The purpose of Personal Development Plan is to prepare the members of an organisation such as an employee, and manager  as they enter a phase of organisational changes like new management, or new technology. The concept however is also useful in realising one's personal potential.

I decided to write my own and adapt it for my friends, or anyone to fill up on their on their own time. Somehow this activity is similar to creating a New Year's Resolution, we are two months late, but we shall commence once we are in the right mindset, in my mother language, "nasa wisyo"

1.  Write down your Personal Vision and Goals

There are 3 Tiers:

- Tier 1 is for long term vision,  goals, or dreams

- Tier 2 is for the prerequisites in order to get to Tier 1

- Then there is Tier 3   for short term goals which you will pick from the items listed on  Tier 2 

It's important to remember to be completely honest with yourself, and to factor in your personal goals first, then factor in others. In this method you get  clarity and free yourself from limitations of deciding what you really want.

I answered:

Tier 1:  I wanted to finish graduate school, obtain my teaching qualifications,  save money, open a floristry with a bakery, publish my book,  and for me to lead to that is Tier 2...

Tier 2:  Study for 2 years, write a business plan, and enrol in a coffee barista class and floristry class

Then comes my Tier 3: which I picked from Tier 2;  to enrol in a coffee barista class and floristry class.

I also wrote here my goals of getting married, having kids, losing weight, and a big bag purchase. 

2. The Skills necessary for this growth

I would like to stress that while Skills is  earned through consistent practice that we adapt from muscle or sensory memory, both  hard skills, and soft skills  contribute as Skills.

Among the hard skills are cooking, writing, driving, skills that are technical and relevant to your profession. While soft skills is  emotional maturity and quotient like having empathy, and managing cluster of stress and big emotions.

I answered: 

Learn floristry,  gain more self confidence, be resilient, learn to swim, eat healthier, save money, and learn how to invest.

3. Write down your Priorities (Who or what motivates you?), and arrange them according to the  highest to lowest priority.

As I was job hunting presently, in one of the interviews I attended I was asked "What motivates you?"

 This question is valid yet I realised that this question should not always be answered by "What", but for most of us, be answerable with "Who".

Probably in my deep thoughts as much as I wanted to answer that I have a chronic penchant for  expensive bags and dining out, that I need a job to sustain it,  money motivates me at the moment... however, I had to answer appropriately.

"What are my priorities?" I was not able to answer promptly nor succinctly.  Suddenly, it reminded me that while I have the freedom to be and to do whatever I want at the moment, it's something not to be taken for granted. I have a set of things to do, and a list of people I dedicate it to. They motivate me to work hard and remain within the bounds of my values. I learned that you are tested as a Christian when you are alone, and when you are given all the freedom and everything you need. "Do not overstay in the comfort zone." There are times we forget what our priorities are, and it's okay.

4. Draft an Action Plan and Timeline

It matters to understand that as you decide the timeline for your personal development,  deciding the timeline for some goals and dreams may not be applicable.

I answered:

2022- finish grad school, and certifications, attend coffee class

2023- finish teaching qualifications

2024- learn professional floristry

2027- hopefully, open a the bakery/floristry business

It's worth knowing that I did not put timeline on when to marry, or when to have kids. not because these are not my priorities but because I reached the age of understanding that it's not something I can dictate,leaving room for when it comes, it  happens. Ease yourself from the pressure to be on a certain milestone on a certain age or certain year. Again, deciding the timeline for some goals and dreams may not always be applicable.

5. The magnitude of impact of this Personal Development

Does it bring you peace? happiness? fulfilment? will this bring you contentment?

will it equate to your own standards to what constitutes a success? will you regret it if you don't go for it?

6. Write down the things that weigh you down 

There are heaps of things that limits us, we are after all, just human. But when it comes to setbacks, or hurdles, identifying them or calling it out brings clarity, and shadow of processed truths.

I wrote:

- my shaky mental health

- my current finances

- time constraint to finish my studies while working

- the work load of being a chef

When we uncover these things we realise which of our priorities can wait? which one cannot wait? which one has to be now? which one can be parked for now? We also unbox that after-all, there are valid reasons why we are slowed down or why we have to wait.

As the phrase goes "Life happened" and we are drawn away from our freedom and concentration to make decisions that only cater for personal growth. Some of us needed to take jobs that are not related to our passion, some needed to take care of their family, some had to give way or give away their opportunities, some had to rest and take a break.

7. Write down a Personal Oath

While I was torn between staying in Manila or moving back to Sydney in the middle of a pandemic and business growth back home, I was told by one of my industry  teacher and chef  "whatever result this decision lead you to, do not dwell on regrets".

I wrote as my Personal Oath

1. I will not regret the choices I had to make when I didn't know better, and when I needed to make choices to achieve these goals, regardless of the result.

2. I will not be hard on myself if I do not get the measured and numerical results I predicted. Example: earning 1 M in 6 months

3. I will work hard, be open to new experiences, enjoy the process, explore the journey, and above all, be honest and truthful to myself.

4. My dreams and goals are all valid.

5. I am not always in control- and that is okay.

6. I will love myself most especially at times these changes and series of growth is unsettling.

7. I will keep learning.

8. As I get older, my priorities may change, it does not mean putting some of my goals behind for now is a loss, but rather, management of an emerging priority.

9. I will be patient to myself when I am learning something new.

10. I will choose to be kind. Honor my values. Remain christian.

There are no right or wrong answers, only half and complete truths. Whatever this activity means to you, I hope it sparked something that has been dampen for a long time. You will be okay. 

Starting Ugly

I moved to Sydney almost 2 months ago because I decided to pursue a long- overdue personal goal to be a qualified vocational teacher in Australia, it entailed going back to school for 3 years full time to garner all of the qualifications (it's a tedious pursuit- Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, Certificate IV in Patisserie, graduate school, and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment) while working part time,  I'm halfway-ish into the run and somewhere along I parked the dream that one day I can be a recipe contributor to the glossy magazines I devour reading. 

Moving also entailed beginning again and giving up important commitments back home. I left the business I started and poured hard work, and I had to take packing seriously in a sense that I was moving to another continent for good. Life led me to few detours ,few more right turns,  and now with more clarity that all I wanted to be is indeed, a home maker on top of my many hats.

 I read somewhere that you don’t need to always monetise your hobbies and passion, somehow it rings true to me…it doesn’t always have to be bright lights, hustle and bustle, and money... or career-wise, it doesn't always have to be Michelin stars or hatted, five star, or 100k followers that mark one's success or stability. You can still pursue what you love, be whatever you want even behind the picket fence, or even just for your own liking, or in my case while nestled at the silly hills of Hornsbyshire. Being away from friends and family, there are two things that keep my sanity afloat —James, and cooking at home, and writing (actually, it's three). 

It took me almost 5 years to return onshore. The waiting was very challenging, and so as the changes.  Starting a new chapter can be terrifying and worrisome especially when you are beginning from a fresh ground may it be going back to school, or moving to another country, or getting married or getting a new hobby such as establishing a vlog, or reviving a recipe blog… or all of the above. There is no need to mention pandemic so I put it last..I pick up few things while treading one step at a time, I cannot emphasise how taking your own time is so important. When all of these changes take up your mental space and pushes you to make big and life shaping decisions, it matters to take the walk at your own pace.

 And you know what else is important? the small steps that eventually lead to the big steps. For me it’s as simple a watering my dead herbs hoping that one day they will flourish into a healthy herb garden, and keeping a vision board filled with random photos ranging from flowers, desserts, coffee a page from a good book, my feet, and my favorite socks because I was thinking doing so will keep me inspired, and my dream to have a flower shop with a tiny bakery vivid, and more essentially, keeping it makes me happy...When the days are overwhelming, doing what you can, and doing something small is more than enough, sometimes doing nothing  keeps me sane and balanced.

James asked me the other day "What would you do if you get into a midlife crisis?" I answered I'll open a floristry with a bakery, while he answered he will venture into cheese, when I followed up with "what kind of cheese?" he replied "The Good Kind of Cheese", and I'm assuming it's the tentative name for now.

 

In the words of a great teacher and friend, Chef Colin Roche "start ugly"... it's always the beginning and the arduous process of starting fresh that seems scary, inert, and slow but soon you'll realise few months later, a year later, and years later that not only time passed,  Soon after the uncomfortable growth, you will make it and you will be proud of yourself for taking the big leap.  Few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to share business insights among young and talented students in the spectrum, and the light bulb moment for me was the concept of “trusting your own season”.. It may resonate differently from person to person, or business to business…perhaps it's a season of slow sale, or first week of the semester... all I know is anything that you pour hard work, time, and patience in essence always yield into a bountiful result. 

someday when I graduate or get into midlife crisis, whichever comes first yay

this season is teaching me not to over multi task, and to always put my mental health a priority despite the heavy work and study load

my dead herbs

All the best, Joyce Esther