Please welcome Veronica to the Gleim Blog! Veronica is working full-time at a CPA firm and is sitting for the CPA Exam.
Hi all! I hope everyone is enjoying this awesome fall weather and getting in some quality study time. I have been feeling guilty about the way my study plan has been going since it seems to be straying from my initial plan. Using the book has been my main source of preparation and I rarely get to the online part. My plan had been to sit down at the computer and go through the lectures, listen to the audio in the car, and crack open the book everywhere I went. Basically, I had planned to fill every available hour with CPA review, work full-time, and not leave anything behind in my personal life. A bit harsh? I decided it was time to put a stop to this self-sabotaging and unproductive thinking.
In my study plan, I hadn’t penciled in time for a holiday, stomach flu, and life in general. When all these things happened, I was taken by surprise and didn’t bounce back so well. By making myself feel bad about how I wasn’t being perfect or following the plan to a “T”, I only set myself up for failure. After all, I have plenty of time until my scheduled exam date when I sit for REG. I had known that I would not be ready by August, and September is a closed window time frame. However, I was focused on what I had not accomplished. This exam is not just about studying from a book, learning the best test-taking tips, or managing time. A lot of it is preparing yourself mentally and learning new habits that block out old and negative thinking patterns. I am learning that this exam is not just a stepping stone to becoming a great CPA. It is also a life lesson in so many ways. I would have never thought that while preparing for the CPA exam, I would have learned about myself and the negative thinking and habits I had. I realized that I needed to work on turning them around to positive ones if I wanted to thrive in this career and in life.
This week has been a healing experience, and I have begun to make the adjustments I need to get back on track with my studying. By next week, I hope to bring you more inspiring news about my studies and journey. Until then, enjoy the weekend and live life!