Belated To-Do: February, 2019
Thus far, I think it’s safe to say that 2019 is going to keep me on my toes.
February got off to a rough start. I managed to start the month sick with the flu (which is part of why my ‘to-do’ list for the month is delayed). I also had an old friend pass away, suddenly, and that took some time to process. January was a complete blur, as well as a lovely reality check as to what my hopes/goals were starting the year vs. what reality is going to hand me, at any given time. My writing definitely increased last month, though not quite as frequently as I’d hoped (and obviously, things aren’t going much better in February, haha). I was able to get halfway through a new book, which I’m really enjoying! But, haven’t quite finished. I was also able to up my daily step average during the month, but didn’t quite hit 8k/day (are you seeing a pattern, yet??).
I can’t call my goals for last month a failure, though, because I did accomplish A LOT. Particularly regarding goals that I didn’t even map out for myself, going in. I ended up doing Dry January, on a whim. After a heavy holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I felt like my body could use a reset, and I can honestly say I felt great at the end of the month. My sleep quality improved, I was able to shed all of the holiday bloat in record time, my skin looked really happy, and I was saving money to boot!
What I didn’t account for, however, was spontaneously potty training my twins. 10 days in to Dry January. My advice?
Do not pass Go.
Do not collect $200.
You will have regrets.
I mean, I survived, but it was kind of painful at times. However! I now have two potty trained kids, and I can drink wine if I feel like it (which has only happened a couple of times this year, so far, so… win??).
Applying my takeaways from January, in February I’d like to:
Continue writing more frequently, even if my sessions don’t always result in a finished blog post. Or even a mostly fleshed out one.
Finish the book I’m enjoying and start another, before the end of the month
Keep moving, as much as I’m able. Getting sick really killed my daily averages for the month, so I’m going to give myself grace in February and tackle upping my averages in earnest next month. Maybe shoot for a 7k/day average, since I didn’t even quite make that in January.
Keep sleeping! I managed to make my goal in January, and then I got the flu at the beginning of February, so I was sleeping and napping like it was my job. My nightly averages for the last three weeks have been 9 hrs/night, 8 hrs/night, and 7 hrs/night, respectively. It has been a month of restfulness!
Take at least two bubble baths this month (only made it to one in January). Now that I have two overzealous, newly potty trained three year olds on my hands, my water bill has doubled. And baths are suddenly a financial luxury, with how much water is getting used around here, now (haha!).
One manicure this month would be awesome, as I have had zero since the New Year. My nails kept breaking last month with the cold, dry weather, and also with how often I was washing my hands during potty training (and then forgetting to use lotion after). So, sadly, this goal felt a bit sabotaged.
Taxes this month! (we didn’t get all of our documents before the end of January)
Try two more new Pinterest recipes this month! That was fun.
Continue having one phone date a week with a friend. That has been so nourishing for me, to hear a someone’s voice and get to catch up a bit, in real time, and not just via text on a screen.
I’ve been practicing my hand lettering a lot more over the last month, but not with any particular project in mind. I’d love to put it to use this month in more of a project form, as well as try some new techniques.
Keep tweaking my weekly schedule during February, to help optimize my productivity, and increase my down time as well. You know, for things like bubble baths. And manicures. And reading. And writing!!
It occurred to me when I looked at the calendar this past weekend, that we’d just hit a rather large milestone:
One year ago, we were pulling into our new driveway in North Carolina. How different life looks, now, than it did then.
Five and a half days, 2,600 miles, eight states, two 2 year old’s, one dog, one cranky old cat, one car with a trailer attached, and one 26’ Penske truck. We were literally a traveling circus, and I’m still not entirely sure how we all made it here in one piece. Of course, looking back, I would NEVER recommend moving on such a tight timeline, especially with small children and animals in tow! Still not entirely sure what we were thinking (clearly, we weren’t thinking…). The amount of growth that has occurred, though, in all of us, over the last year, has been astounding. I’m in such a different head space right now than I was then, and it feels good to be on the other side of all of that upheaval. I hope I can look back in another year, and feel this same sense of accomplishment, again.
A big part of what has helped has been taking charge of my time in a more meaningful way. Through these lists, and our schedules, and somewhat flexible routines. I realize there’s only seven days left this month, but I feel really proud when looking back at the last seven weeks, and how much I have managed to get done. Not just at what was still left on the table.
Nothing like a little perspective to keep propelling you forward.
