Forcing myself to use TwentyTwenty

June 2021 Update – I’ve since moved on to experimenting with using a Next.js frontend with a WordPress backend. It gives me the power of the WordPress dashboard with a super quick static frontend! It does mean I have to say goodbye to TwentyTwenty, but here is being able to commit to building things, even if they’re outside of your comfort zone.

I think like many, I’m plagued with the inability to pull the trigger. So, here I go using TwentyTwenty and forcing myself to focus on what I want to get to most: writing, sharing, and stepping out of my comfort zone.

I think as a WordPress developer I’ve gone through many iterations from “hack it up” to “oh no, you can’t use that” to now realizing the how we go about doing things doesn’t really matter, its the doing the thing that is important. So, for that reason, I’ve focused instead on defining what I’m aiming for and then getting there is the fun part. With all that said, I hope to make this a way for me to document what I’ve learned and hopefully include some helpful tips.

So here is to using a theme that I always told myself I’d never use. To committing to making iterative improvements without self-judgment and shame when it comes to the parts that aren’t that great. To not apologizing for everything “not being perfect”, because no one is. To focusing on learning and improving as a means to continue on my journey towards positive mental health.

With all that said, I figured this would be a good time to take a look at my “Things I want to do” list and see how we did and where we want to go from here! Lot’s has changed since June 🙂

Pods

I love Pods. I think it’s one of the first tools that really made me feel like I could build anything. Which is an awesome feeling. Not only did it really open me to building WordPress “the right way” it helped me grow towards building longer-lasting, higher quality websites. Since June, I’ve committed to spending more of my spare time working on it and look forward to what Pods 2020 will bring. Pods lost its primary sponsor, but like my momma always said, “one door closed, but another will open” and for that reason, I’m excited to see how the upcoming Friends-only add-ons will help move Pods towards creating features to better serve the needs of the community and not any one larger WordPress initiative.

Twitch

I had this pretty large idea to create a learning channel on Twitch… I think even though I still think this would be fun, still learn all the time, and would love to share that with people; it’s hard to envision doing this in a way that would be interesting to people… After looking at this list, it’s easy to see that certain things were part of how I thought I wanted to do things and the other part is actually how I do things? So anyway, I’m going to chalk this up to big eyes, small stomach and not being interested enough in the process of creating something like this. Never say never, but for now, I’m going to gracefully let this one fall off my priority list. “Journey before destination” my fellow radiants.

Collaborate

“Collaborate with other creative people, specifically, focus on iterative improvements and avoid a “waiting till it’s more polished” mentality to share and collaborate with others.” When I wrote this goal, I definitely had some preconceived notions about who I wanted to work with. Although that didn’t work out, it turns out that you have no idea what life is going to throw your way. In August, I had the opportunity to join the WSU Web Team and with a new job, I’ve gotten the opportunity to collaborate with some awesome designers and developers on a daily basis. Something that I was craving is now so integrated into my work environment it’s hard to think why I even needed it to be a specific goal in the first place.

Oliver Thomas Ford

It’s pretty crazy to think like 8 months ago, I was trying to paint his room and now I just get to see his smiley face every day? I’m so glad Joni and I have decided to go on this journey and I couldn’t be happier and more grateful for such a happy, healthy, smiley baby boy 🙂

So that was June 2019 to now February 2020. We had a baby, got a new job, and it all just fell into place. So, what do you want to do in the next six months? What specific steps can you take to work towards your goals before you turn 29? Yikes. No pressure, I’ll figure it out in the next one.

Nic