Two steps forward. One step back. 2026 goals done 2 months in. 

There were countless challenges this past two weeks that could have held me back.

I am referring my journey to reach my 6 month goal in the first 2 months. 

Still being nowhere near the end, I made gigantic leaps of progress performing some of my 2026 objectives earlier than I thought. 

Two steps forward one step back is still advancement. In my personal life to clarify my business goals, anyway. 

Major aspects of my life have flipped the script in month 2: A new home for the new year

We decided to move into a bigger, better apartment and I am throwing an entire month of work out the window to pay for it.

I am not alone in this move, so it really helps, but I have learnt what I am made of. 

It is funny, because every time I set resolutions for the year, I execute several of them within the first two months. They usually tend to be monumental tasks I never thought I would achieve until at least 6 months in. 

The ones that I think are going to be easy are the simple difficult ones that take 6 months in their stead. 

We underestimate what we are capable of in a short amount of time. The atmosphere of a new year starting also catalyses the operation.   

Since I have a decades long friendship with risk, moving has been on my mind as we had to fumigate our apartment. 

German roaches are what they are called. They infiltrate from the surfaces at night coming out of the walls and scatter in the morning. Or any time our presence is made known.  

A gentleman with a lot of chemicals who kicked us out of our place for four hours before work made a visit, but I already decided I hate this space. Grateful for what it gave us, but God is telling us it is time to pack our things. 

This problem is literally destroying the way we live our lives and we cannot handle it any longer. 

Listening to my partner’s complaints, I acted as soon as he could curse in his native Arabic. Not realising how seriously I take words, I already had a handful of apartments ready to be seen.   

Frustrated at my drive, he is annoyed at our decision he primarily made and I seconded, because now he has to whip into action.  

Another setback was realising my car payments had a 29% interest rate. 

In other words, I have only paid off half my car and its interest. This is insane and holding me back from growing in my business and wanting to move forward in anything at all. 

I have a hard time sleeping at night when this weighs on my mind. Knowing I want to keep this car until the wheels fall off, it has to be done. I have moved it up on the long list of mountains I need to move.  

Originally, my plan was to give myself grace for about 1.5 months to be able to present my discoveries as consolidated versus half baked wisdom. We will see what happens, but I am smiling at the possibilities. 

My failure was falling one week behind. 

This created a rift between me and my goals feeling closer, chipped away at momentum, and is making my romantic relationship weaker. 

The pros of this have been fortifying friendships, creating a stronger relationship with my boss, and picking myself back up again. 

Here are the various moving parts of the equation that created this:

A boyfriend who is not happy with his job who was planning on quitting this week, but could not

This is the reason my romantic relationship feels weaker. Not because anything is missing in our life as a unit, but because there is disarray in my counterpart’s life. Part of me wanted to give up the moment he told me he was not doing well. 

I wanted to leave when I felt he had nothing to offer. But I remembered all the times he was weak and became strong so I could find my way. 

I stopped thinking in terms of what I could gain from others and how I could impact their lives the way other inspirations did for me. 

My only goal is to make sure the closest people around me win and I want to be there for them to show them the sunshine even if their eyes are closed. Whether we are coworkers, distant acquaintances, or the loves of each other’s lives. 

In the throes of immense tension at work, he wanted to find an alternate reality from his situation. 

However, he is more of a Type B personality who did not plan for the future version of himself creating a safety net looking for new positions during the initial realisation that he was unhappy. 

He remains in his responsibilities with fewer hours, less work after a much-needed new hire, and a more balanced life. Specific upsides include more time to practise his hobbies of playing snooker, having time for himself with slow mornings, making new friends, and creating more moments with me. 

The downsides for him are less pay meaning less rhythm and higher lack of predictability in his schedule.

Our schedules are still the opposite where he finishes work during the time I leave the house. We seldom meet in the middle but I try to find ways to connect. It is not easy. 

We made a pact to trust the process together and keep believing in each other. It surged new life into our future together.

Or at least I hope it did. 

Before coming to terms with the fact that we decided to move, he recognised that he could not quit. In order to keep peace at home, he had to find himself again. 

Ironically, moving up in his role at work forced him to step down yet something he is not telling me has caused more anxiety. 

He said he told me the issue, but it seems so miniscule to me. I have carried burdens well since a young age – no matter how heavy. 

Perhaps I have seen too much or it is a good mix of him also not having experienced more than four years in the United States. A small identity crisis of his own actualised as a result.  

Outward complaints are not a good gauge of internal suffering. Just because someone carries a burden well doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.

Balt Rodriguez on Nietzsche 

The stress literally shows on his face and head. His energy has shifted to a moody teenage boy and I had to quiet his qualms to remind him I have no flexibility in this period. Neither of us do. 

His pushing me to the ground and incessant, unnecessary screaming display this. I am not sure if I should be bothered or be the level of patient monks have since I am in monk mode. It is quite confusing. Once upon a time, they would materialise, but now I have no feelings. 

Demonstrating my patience takes shape in silence but my emerging impatience also exhibits identically. 

No distractions dare steal my attention, but we already broke this condition on my way through this six month mission. I had a serious talk with him about it and we shook on it. Onward and upward. 

Continuing likewise, this is a time of patience and humility as Ramadan approaches in a few days. (This was written on February 13, 2026.) I am wondering if I am immune to his outbursts or if I simply do not care. Somewhere in the middle? 

Detaching is something I do when I have moved on or have better things to do. My purpose cannot be stopped. Though, I am asking myself which occurred. 

Are these the first rumblings of a potential end? These have happened before, but we smile at each other easier carrying on this time. 

He is my first love and my last love when I wake up and when I sleep at night. We already decided on this. 

Disagreements have become easier as we learn each other with time and grace. We both have become softer listening to each other’s behaviours and become resistant to the other’s drama. 

That helps and makes me smile no matter how annoyed I was. Someone else will always teach you to become better. 

Something interesting was revealed: There are 2 versions of me. 

On this pursuit of pushing my competencies, I have unlocked the two sides of me who show up:

1. Gia who works out everyday but is stressed out, because her schedule is packed because of all the post-effort getting ready.
2. Gia who does not work out everyday, has more time and better energy, but is debilitated about how I feel about my body.

Both are captivating and strong consistent figures. 

This is a part of my experiment I have not foreseen. However, I love the first girl slightly more because of her lack of energy making her set more boundaries. 

She is a bit stressed, though. I mitigate this with discipline in showing up for myself in a prompt manner. 

Both show up with their best face and similar results. But I am going to go back to being my number 1 self. Taking care of my health is my prime priority to keep me going if I want to keep on top of my duties. 

I made strides learning to enjoy the journey. 

I am forced to. But I have also found that I am exceptionally proficient at hiding my hurt. It is not how you fall, but how you get up again. 

Along the way, I heard some brilliant quotes that compounded my development. 

I’ve a brain that loves to solve problems.

I’m just giving it good problems to solve. 

Give yourself better problems to solve. 

A formula for a pretty good life is independence + purpose. 

You get rewarded in public for what you practice in private intensely. 

If you don’t do it proactively it will happen reactively. 

Good times create weak people. Never quit. 

I’ll be honest but don’t need to be brutal. 

Do the job you would do if you didn’t need a job.

Warren Buffett 

Never be too proud to ask for help. 

Make it so people can’t live without you. 

Wendy’s hamburgers are square because the founder’s grandmother said don’t cut corners. 

Good is the enemy of great. 

The more you learn the more you earn. 

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less.

There are so many different realities. 

With workouts, physics is just a suggestion. 

Find the part that’s not natural to you and work on it. 

Stop folding yourself into a shape to make others happy. 

You don’t need to do your nails. You need to work out. 

Don’t get comfortable. 

Count the numbers precisely to the cent. 

I like shortcuts sue me. 

I don’t want to watch somebody’s downfall. 

I want to see how they get up again.

So I can learn too

What not to do 

I don’t want a good morning text.

I want a I need you right now text 

ETA 6 min text 

There is no such luxury. 

Be tired of crying. 

Your kindness is your cash. Good karma babyyyy! 

Remember what you saw about her is what others see for the first time.

Ants can lift many times their body weight

Automate bills 

If you need motivation, remember these quotes. 

However they hit you. At any stage. They kept me going. 

Reading them without context still puts a spring in my step as I have not heard these words in a week. I hope yours brings great achievements in a short amount of time you did not know you could fulfill.

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