It's only been two days past this week and I felt I've reached exhaustion. The new environment I've placed myself in has been toxic, to say the least. Frustrations come flinging left and right due to lack of direction and planning, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Nevertheless, I took this mid-week break; perfectly timed; as it's also Labor Day. It's given me a much-needed break from the real, and it's somewhat time to decompress.

I find myself thinking about my plans; some thoughts about my next few months to a year, and how it will shape me. In my experience, my maturity comes from the convergence of aspiration and reality. It seems that my thoughts and dreams (or wants) on a certain scenario, a thing, or an event can often build up heaps of emotions and generate tons of plans leading up to acquiring it, but I only learn if I want it, or need it, or even how to act when I have it, only when reality has brought me to it. It's always been how things shape up for me—from my professional aspirations, artistic dreams to financial goals and such.

At this point in my life, I feel that I no longer aspire to grab the reins of more power, because I've experienced it. To me, it's nothing but knowledge—something that satisfied my curiosity about how it feels like weilding that power. My perspective on life right now is to just breeze through it. Enjoy it. Associate myself with happiness—people and things that bring me joy. My long winter (my sabbatical) has proven to be effective and has brought forth new realizations about where I am and where I want to be.

I hope everyone learns to take pause and think things over like I have.