April in Review: Using the Plus Minus Next Framework to Improve My Life

01 May 2025
About 6 minutes to read
Life Reflections,
Personal Development,
Productivity Tips

As I reflect on the past month, I've been using the Plus Minus Next framework to evaluate my progress and reflect on what’s Next. I see value in being open and honest about my experiences, both positive and negative.

I've found this framework to be similar to the retro meetings I'm used to having at work, where we discuss what went well, what didn't, and what can be improved. It's refreshing to have a process that doesn't require overthinking, just writing down my thoughts and feelings.

April Action is my month's theme, which I've had help creating with the assistance of AI. It's part of a series of alliterations I've been given since October, with previous themes including October Odyssey, November Novice, and so on. April is all about taking initiative and being proactive in various aspects of my life. Some possible interpretations of "action" include:

Physical Action: engaging in physical activity to improve health and energy.
Taking Initiative: leading projects or relationships.
Creative Action: exploring creative activities like painting, writing, or playing music.
Social Action: participating in social events or networking.
Mindful Action: focusing on mindfulness and presence in my actions.
Goal-Oriented Action: setting specific, measurable goals and working towards them.

Some of the items mentioned below are part of my 25 for 2025 list. I recommend giving it a read if you want more information and learn about the happier trifecta.

Plus +

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Music themed Sunday mass where 100 singers performed kent.
Attended yet another “start your own business” online seminar.
Enjoyed the MotoGP season so far.
F1 meetup at Southside. Met some new petrolheads to talk to while sipping on my non-alcoholic beer.
Had an interesting conversation with Cam (friend from Australia).
Upgraded my website to Eleventy 3 (much easier than anticipated).
Met up with Lotta at HiQ to close that chapter for now and focus on future opportunities.
Had to order a new phone and went with a refurbished iPhone 14 from Telestore which offered great service.
Took a leap of faith towards employment at AQC Sweden. Nordling Consulting can wait.
Created a new version of my consulting CV.
Got inspired to learn about Swedish inventions.
Completed my Confidence plan in the Balance app and got the “20 plans” achievement (use the link and try it yourself).
Enjoyed U2’s classic album The Joshua Tree and Anders Hansen’s new TV show on AI, Smartare än Hjärnan.
Celebrated Easter with my family and Maundy Thursday mass at church.
Found a new tool for web development, Volta, to handle multiple Node.js versions (even old dogs can learn new tricks).
The new Ghost album Skeletá and other bangers. See music video and Spotify playlist further down.
Prioritized watching Sweden in the U18 hockey tournament and I’m hoping for victory against USA in the semi-final.
Had Peas & Love (falafel) and non-alcoholic beers with Mathias, who dragged my ass out of the apartment ❤️.
Got interview coaching by my new colleague Karin.
Met my new neighbour/flatmate William who seems to be a fun bloke.

Minus -

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The Minus column is particularly helpful in acknowledging that life isn't always a success story. It's essential to recognize obstacles and turn them into constructive lessons, rather than getting stuck in negative thought patterns.

My new bike was stolen before I had a chance to ride it. I see this as karma blowing up in my face for being reckless in my youth. A lesson I needed to learn.
Didn't exercise after the bike was stolen.
Grandma couldn't join us for Easter.
I missed out on Stockholm Culture Night, opting to stay home and binge-watch Pimp My Ride instead.
Didn't water my plants.
Didn't visit any museums or attend lunch concerts at church.
Missed International Songwriters Day and didn't celebrate International Jazz Day.
Couldn't run the new Decentraland client on my Mac, leading to me losing interest in the whole MVFW25 (Metaverse Fashion Week).
Cancelled my plans to participate in the Microsoft AI Skills Fest.
Had a low period, especially after Easter, where I didn't take care of myself.
Didn't start any new plans in Balance, lost my streak.
Lost motivation to contact recruiters and didn't make progress with the Agio coding test.
Had a poor evening routine and went to bed after midnight with no plan for the upcoming day.
Didn't make progress with my motorcycle license, still uncertainties regarding the way forward paired with overthinking.

Jump to section titled: Next →

Declare my taxes (been putting it off since March 18, deadline is May 2).
Inspire others and contribute to my community
- Upload a video with my thoughts on Skeletá (test Adobe Express).
Write a pitch for my upcoming interview.
Decide on a theme and direction for May.
Attend Motorcycle Day and buy the needed back protector.
Go for a long run with Söderlöparna.
Prepare for the Tough Viking Race.
Attend a lunch concert in the Engelbrekt Church.
Watch Eurovision Song Contest.
First dentist appointment in waaaaaay to long. Going back to public health-care just down the road.
Attend my first AQC event and meet colleagues outside of working hours.
Plan a reward or indulgence for the month
- Secure a ticket for the upcoming Ghost show.
Celebrate Bitcoin Pizza Day.
Do something special on Mother's Day.
Attend Ascension Day mass in church.
Highlight World no tobacco day on May 31st.
Choose my first tiny experiment for Pact.
Decide if I should upgrade my iCloud storage.
Get a haircut.
Drop by the clinic and do a blood test based health check in order to better understand my body and see where I can improve.
Cook more meals and use my meal prep containers.
Catch up on social media.
Get the tattoo I've been wanting.
Turn my new found Pimp My Ride knowledge into entertaining content.

Takeaways

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Based on my Plus and Minus lists, I can let AI evaluate how well I did during the month:

Physical Action: I didn't do as well as I had hoped, with limited exercise and physical activity.
Taking Initiative: I took some positive steps, such as taking a leap of faith towards employment at AQC Sweden and completing a new version of my consulting CV.
Creative Action: I had some creative outlets, such as reading and attending concerts.
Social Action: I had some social interactions, such as meeting with friends and attending events.
Mindful Action: I didn't do as well as I had hoped, with some periods of low energy and motivation.
Goal-Oriented Action: I had some specific goals, but I didn't achieve all of them, such as not following up with recruiters and not reading as many books as I had hoped.

Overall, I think I made some progress in some areas, but I still have work to do in others. I'm looking forward to building on my successes and improving in areas where I struggled.

It's the small steps we take every day that add up to make a big difference in the long run. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to take care of yourself along the way!