Notes from January
This essay originally appeared in the Monday morning newsletter on 1/31/22.
Getting through January always feels like a feat, right? However the month went for you, we did it. First month of 2022 is under our belts and we’re onto the next!
Excited to be continuing the trend of writing a recap at the end of the month with 10 things I’m loving or want to remember. If you are looking for an activity to pep up your Monday, give this a try. Scroll through your photos or reference your calendar from the past 4 weeks and make a quick list of memories.
Sharing my list below as an example – you can tell it’s a monthly recap from winter because there’s a lot of home & reading-related notes!
January’s 10 Things:
- This was the second year in a row I spent some of January at home in Florida, thanks to the fact that I’m still working remotely. I loved the extra time with my parents & it was a really nice start to the year.
- Something that made me happy this month: even though I took down my Christmas decorations, I did keep this wreath up above my bed. Since the wreath doesn’t have any sparkly lights or festive accouterments, I thought it could make for a good winter decoration. It’s more ‘evergreen,’ if you will 😉 (too early in the morning for puns?)
- The new short Ugg boots I got for Christmas are also making me extremely happy. I’ve never had a pair of Uggs before and, wow, are they magical! I wear them on walks, errands, while working from home, and cannot believe how warm they are! They are new-to-me, but I already can’t picture going through winter without them.
- Another winter necessity: Yeti coffee mugs. Unlike the Uggs, these aren’t a new discovery for me, but my love for them has been renewed as they kept my coffee warm despite frigid weather conditions. I also feel like they help me drink less coffee? When I use them, I’m no longer ditching half-drank coffees that have gone cold in favor of brewing a whole new cup.
- Reading this article led me to reading the author’s book, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, and I found it very thought-provoking. The author, Catherine Price, makes the case for prioritizing something called ‘True Fun’ which is different from all those things we call “fun” that are actually not fun at all. Price defines True Fun as the confluence of playfulness, connection, and flow, and lays out a roadmap for identifying it/seeking it out (& why we should do so).
- For my walks, I started listening to Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House – narrated by Tom Hanks – and I can’t remember the last time I was so enamored by an audiobook. As this review aptly put it, it is equal parts a story of siblings and a study of the way spaces (geographies, buildings, cities, homes) shape our lives as much as we shape them. The storytelling is exquisite, but I actually don’t know if I would be as in love with the book if I was reading it vs. listening to it. There is just something about Tom Hanks’ narration that elevates it!
- I also listened to Katie Couric’s memoir, Going There, and really liked it. I started listening during that week in between Christmas and New Year’s. I went on a walk almost every afternoon to sneak in a few chapters and I called it my ‘afternoon walk with Katie.’ :). This is another book I highly recommend listening to vs. reading because in addition to Katie narrating, they also splice in audio clips from some of her most famous interviews. Really cool listening experience.
- And on the topic of listening: in one of my group chats with friends, we started sending voice memos instead of texts and it’s been so fun! And quite efficient for those times when you have a longer story to tell. It’s like a phone call but one where you are able to respond on your own time.
- Next month, I want to get back in the habit of batching miscellaneous to-do’s and tasks. I wrote about this idea back in June, but the crux of it is that you set up a simple system to defer tasks that can wait vs. getting distracted from whatever you are currently focusing on. Months ago, I got into a groove where I would keep a running list of these random to-do’s that would pop in my head throughout the week to handle later. Then, usually on Sunday afternoons, I would sit down with some coffee and move through tasks that needed attention, using momentum as a motivator. For me, the best part is that if I know when I’ll tackle those miscellaneous to-do’s, I’ll be less likely to cram them haphazardly into any free moment.
- Going strong with the monthly activities in my Best Year Yet journal! I completed (or am progress of completing) four the six suggested monthly activities:
- Book a vacation – I’m attending a wedding in Florida in April, so I’m adding a few days on to see family & friends (and the sun)!
- Spend time outside – Completing this one is a testament to how much I’m loving listening to The Dutch House… Despite the chilly weather, I’ve taken a couple of long walks each week because I want to listen to ‘just one more’ chapter.
- Write down upcoming goals – Yep!
- Read a classic book – Currently reading Jane Austen’s Persuasion and am loving it. It kind of feels like I’m reading for English class again 😉
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