Hello, 2023!

2023, already?! I can’t wrap my head around it, probably because the last four months have been insane. Here’s what I have been up to and what’s in store for this new year.

Long time no see! I posted the first article of the year a few days ago, but I needed to update you guys on a couple of things before I jumpstart into this new year.

Things have been hectic lately—both in a good and not-so-positive way. So, inevitably, I had to put The Sustainablist on hold. What happened? 

Sick leave 

Yes, I got ill in mid-September. I thought it was just an ordinary cold, but it was much more than that. My sinus infection escalated to pretty hard-core levels, and I was bedridden (more sofa ridden, to be exact) for three weeks.

During that period, I had to go through two rounds of antibiotics, besides an extensive array of other meds. 

My energy levels were so low those days that I would only get up to do what was essential - food, hygiene, and caring for my cat.

Thankfully, things improved in mid-October, and I could return to work and slowly resume my life.

Starting French Class

As some of you know, I returned to studying French at the beginning of 2022. Yes, it was one of my goals for the year. 

I’ve started learning it through Duolingo, but six months in, I’ve felt that I haven’t learned as much as I hoped.

I decided it was time to enroll at a conventional school here in Madrid (where I am currently based). And I am thrilled that I did, but this experience alone took much more of my spare time than I initially expected.

I need to keep up with my ongoing hobbies or even get time to rest.

Getting a new job

But I received a job offer around a week and a half after returning to work. And an exciting one. 

After measuring the pros and cons and talking to a few close friends about it, I realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… that I had to take it.

While I was super excited about this new chapter, it was also hard to announce my leave from my current company. Mainly because I had such a good time there, working for a brand I love and with such amazing people.

No matter how positive my experience was, I knew it was time to go and start a new challenge. So I could keep growing as a professional.

Birthday trip to London

If things weren’t intense enough, I went to London for a week to celebrate my birthday (and do a lot of research). 

When I booked this trip in March last year, I had no idea what 2022 had in store.

So, when it was time to pack up my luggage and hop on a plane… I was feeling more overwhelmed than excited about it.

Don’t get me wrong, that week in London was great! I went to excellent museums, visited Harry Potter Studios on my birthday, ate a lot of delicious Asian food, and went to a handful of beauty stores that aren’t available in Spain (like Lisa Eldridge). And I still had the chance to hang out with a dear friend (Olá, Diana!). 

But part of me preferred to be a couch potato that week instead of running around London to check everything on my list.

The result? Positive! I only wish I had taken things slower those days and had the chance to sit down and enjoy something a little more. 

It was exhausting and overwhelming sometimes. I realize now that I overbooked some of the days. So, if I could go back in time, I would like to take a much more easygoing (less ambitious) approach and leave the FOMO behind.

Leaving my old job

Only a few days after returning from London, it was time to say goodbye to my old job and my beloved colleagues.

Such a bittersweet sensation! Besides being over the hills after my trip to London and being super excited to start this new project, at the same time, it was hard to leave a place where I had been so happy.

I was fortunate to work with such a fantastic group of people, both at professional and human levels. And that’s what made these final weeks harder to go through.

Starting a new job

OK, starting a new professional project is always exciting and overwhelming at the same time. After all, every time we do something like this, we leap faith in something we believe to be a great opportunity. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t always go according to expectations.

What can I say? So far, so good! I’ve already had the chance to work on several different products that I would never have had the opportunity to do something similar at my previous job, which is exciting!

However, starting a new job when everything is already tired and excited about the Holiday Season… isn’t exactly the perfect timing.

Now that the Holiday Season is over, I finally had the chance to get to know my colleagues and start getting a better understanding of the brands I am currently working for. So, everything is finally falling into place.

Holiday season

Oh, the Holiday Season! I am a person who loves all the Christmas build-up (decorations, finding the perfect present, wrapping gifts) but hates the social Christmas events. Especially Christmas Eve and the Christmas Day.

Mostly because I hold so many bad memories of these days growing up, now that I am an adult, I realize that these festivities are still filled with a lot of fear and anxiety.

Even though I now have my apartment and I get to choose with whom I spend these days, all these overwhelming feelings still hit when it’s December 24th.

Now that I am more conscious, I am working to keep these things from affecting me so much. So I can find a way of actually enjoying this particular season.

New year, new cold!

And 2023 came with a cold/allergy that I am still struggling with. Partly because my immune system got particularly hit by all the meds, I had to go through last quarter. Plus, Madrid is freezing these days, and many viruses are around.

So, now I am finally trying to block some time on my calendar to work on The Sustainablist.

What can you expect from The Sustainablist in 2023?

A lot of product reviews! This will be my main focus for 2023. For three reasons: it’s something that I love to do, it’s something that you love to read (according to the stats), and I’ve bought many new products during the last quarter. 

That was, in fact, one of the main reasons behind my trip to London. Getting my hands on brands that I know you love but aren’t available in Spain.

Of course, all the reviewed products will be conscious living oriented. Either because these are vegan, cruelty-free, biodegradable, made with natural ingredients, or have a slightly more sustainable package.

I’ll also be working on some “Best places to…” articles, starting with the research I’ve done in London.

On the other hand, I won’t publish any content on social media or send newsletters. I have minimal time available to work on this project, so I need to be realistic about what works, what I can accomplish, and what I am good at.

The Sustainablist launched in January 2020 and is still a non-profit project. This means that I create all the content, besides purchasing (and testing) all the products, to guarantee an honest and unbiased review.

I hope to turn The Sustainablist into my regular job and have the means to take it to the next level.

By the way, is there any subject or product you’d like me to write about? Let’s chat!