23 at 23

got news about UCSF and it was a huge relief. i can now focus in class and live without the constant worry.

decided to go on the presidio to hike. a list of places i went today

sephora free gift
wood line
lover's lane at presidio
starbucks (rejected free drink)
lucasfilm
presidio visitor center
crissy field
warming hut park store
ggb welcome center
cafe bahn mi
green apple book store
mountain lake trail
batteries to bluffs
ggb rooftop view
patagonia store

23 things i've learned at 23

it's almost impossible to plan for the future, life is very unpredictable, focus on what you can do today
how you do anything is how you do everything. so make sure you do it well.
all or nothing mindset. say no to more things that you don't enjoy doing. drop projects that you lost interest in. stop reading that book if the pages are not turning themselves.
aim higher. your 20s are for taking big risks. seize every opportunity. do big projects. you're capable of more than you think.
sometimes the starbucks cashier will not be friendly or nice to you and you have to deal with that, just be kind to everyone and smile more. contribute joy to the world.
run your own race, set your own standards for yourself. if you meet them, be proud; if you don't, work harder.
send more cold emails. dm more people on twitter. have more conversations with strangers at events.
buy gifts for people, go out to dinners, don't obsess over the the specific dollar amounts, obsess over the shared memories and laughters and conversations
anxiety and worry is the result of a lack of faith, in oneself and in God. learn to let go of what you cannot control. acknowledge that you're limited in knowledge and wisdom.
practice gratitude more. focus less about what you lack or what you've lost, focus more on what you have today
aim to be rejected more. if you're not getting rejected that means you're not taking enough risks. always aim higher
overthinking is the greatest killer of time and life, we suffer more in imagination than reality.
bias towards action. what tasks are you avoiding? put yourself in situations that requires you to act more and talk less.
take long walks and observe the sky and the trees and the people.
learn how to transform emotions into constructive forms, don't reflect back anger with anger, you will always regret it later. seek first to understand and come with empathy.
solitude is important, recognize your emotional needs and don't let it become unhealthy attachments.
take more photos. photography is all instinct. it comes in a flash and you don't have time to think. act first, revise later.
ask people how they're feeling. ask how their weekend went. converse more. be positive and brief. be genuinely curious about them.
writing is a lot of thinking and fighting with different versions of yourself. it's a lot of organization and structuring happening in your head. make sure you have a clear mind.
prioritize sleep. it's your most important resource for energy and you need that to do great work
the biggest value from hackathons are not the prizes or the ideas or the connections, it's in the self-growth. after the pressure, the stress, and the disappointments or excitement, you learned what ideas work and doesn't, you learned that you can actually build things, and you learn what you're good at. hackathons are low-bar environments for you to work at the edge of your abilities.
to know what you want, you have to first try many things. this is the time to experiment with everything. and follow your curiosity. work on things that feels easy to you.
keep showing up. in your gym routine, in your readings, in keeping up with friends and family, in building your startup. keep the momentum going. it's what will keep you focused on the right things in a world built to distract you.

inspired by

BENEDICT NEO 梁耀恩

23 at 23