Monthly Review | March 2025

Hello again friends!

It's finally the end of Q1. I hope everyone is one step closer to achieving their goals for the year. 

To recap the month, it started off rocky as I got sick (I haven't gotten sick in like 2 years). Working was a bit difficult as I was commuting early in the mornings, and it was a hassle as my nose was running every 5 minutes or so. My fever was also being a menace as it constantly came back whenever I was about to head home from work. So? I drowned myself with lots of drugs (medicine) and knocked out early to sleep. Life would be so much better if the job was remote; this was one thing I missed the most about my previous job.

My sister is getting married in 3 months. Time is flying by fast. We went to get our dresses tailored in someone's basement—shady right? However, the lady who tailored our dresses was really kind and friendly. I had to head back a couple of times since the top of my bridemaid's dress was still loose. It was also a little embarrassing since the lady kept reiterating that I was skinny. Story of my life. 

It's been exactly 3 months since I was let go from my previous job due to bankruptcy. For those who are experiencing the same, you might be eligible for the Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP) in Canada. I recently received my payment on March 19th. That said, I was told that it is expected to repay back any employment insurance (EI) payments you have received as it is considered income that overlaps/covers a portion of your EI weekly payments. However, I kept getting conflicting answers when I spoke with an EI rep, letting me know that I didn't have to repay any of the benefits. Nevertheless, my past colleagues recommended that I wait for the statement indicating any EI overpayments that I will need to repay.

As the season starts to change, a lot of people are starting to get sick. The office was much quieter since more people were working from home. I didn't actually mind it as I liked the peacefulness. As March was coming near an end, a big company also visited us and it was a busy day as I had back to back meetings, meeting the CEO for the first time. Work was also starting to get busy as there are a lot of responsive clients replying back to my emails, and I am still having trouble connecting with others at work. Not to mention, I started making phone calls in which I don't feel confident.

That being said, as it is April, this means tax season is coming to an end—the deadline to file your taxes is on April 30th. I recommend using StudioTax or Wealthsimple to file your taxes, as it simplifies the tax filing process. With that said, I completed my taxes in one night using StudioTax, and everything was calculated for me once I input my information. In addition, this was my first time using NETFILE and I can confirm that it is a quick and easy way to send your tax return to the CRA. 

In terms of my business, I finally released my 3rd book about personal finance and decided to redo the cover for my first book. Currently, I am redoing the cover for my second book but it is a disaster—the designer completely ghosted me. That said, I am in the process of working on my 4th book and I am excited to see where it takes me. 

Since Q1 is finally coming to an end, I felt like I didn't progress much in achieving my goals. However, even though I did not progress much, I am still proud of myself for taking small steps towards my goals. For example, finding a new job wasn't easy but I did it. At times, I had doubts about my self-publishing business, but looking at my sales dashboard I reached a record high of selling 24 copies in a month—I know it is not much, but it gives me hope that I know this business model works. 

In closing, this month has been challenging as there was many ups and downs, but after reading the Let Them Theory by Mel and implementing mindfulness techniques, this has motivated me to continue to carry on. Now some days have been more difficult than others. In these situations, I tell myself that it is okay to cry and feel depressed but the most important part is to not give up and to pick myself back up. Moreover, as Q2 is here, I am excited to see how I will continue to grow. 

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