February 2023 Goals
This post initially appeared in the Monday morning newsletter on 1/30/23.
This Wednesday is February 1! It always feels like a feat getting through the first month of the year, right?
January can be a LONG month and I’m always excited to see the calendars turn to February. Sometimes it feels like a welcome release of the New Year’s pressure, and some years, I need all of January to re-acclimate and settle down after the holidays. February 1 can always be your January 1.
This year, I’m falling somewhere between the two. I’m looking forward to appreciating the ordinary and routine of the February, while also enjoying some of the fun of this month.
As I write this, I’m cozied up in my new favorite bar + study space while the snow falls peacefully outside (it’s been snowing for days; the city is covered in pretty layer of white snow!!). While winter can be hard, moments like this remind me of some of the beauty of the season. It’s one of the reasons I love monthly planning and goal setting so much. It encourages me to live in the season I’m in now and be more intentional with my time.
Sharing my three planning questions I asked myself below and goals for February, in case you’re interested. If you are looking for an activity to do this week, I highly recommend taking a few moments to think about what you need from your February.
Reflecting ahead of February:
What do I love about the month of February?
- Still feels like the beginning of the year! 2023 is still getting started, but there isn’t the pressure of it being the FIRST month of the year.
- Love the annual February festivities: Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day (all the pink, red and sweets please) and Presidents Day Weekend.
Anything big happening this February?
- Two first-time experiences!! It will be my first time going to a Butler basketball game and first time visiting Charleston. So excited for both
- I also have friends visiting Chicago early next month for St. Patrick’s Day, so while not something that’s happening in February, there is some prep I want to do this month.
- Lent also starts at the end of February this year.
How do I want to feel at the end of February?
- Organized, but also relaxed and refreshed. I have a nice mix of downtime here in Chicago – when I’m hoping to do some decluttering and such – but also really excited to have a long weekend trip to somewhere warm and sunny on the horizon.
Goals for February 2023:
- Dedicate a weekend to cleaning out my apartment. Wanted to get to this in January, but didn’t. So, rolling over to February!
- Enjoy the trip to Charleston! I want to anticipate the trip (by planning), savor it as it happens and find a way to recall happy memories to really eke out the most enjoyment.
- Start a Thursday afternoon ritual. I wrote about this last week, but I came across a statement that stopped me in my tracks: Wednesday is not the middle of the week, Thursday afternoon is. As simple as it sounds, it felt pretty groundbreaking to me. I want to start some kind of ritual that helps me register on Thursday afternoon that I’m only halfway through the week.
- Have fun with my fiction reading! What better month than February to read some rom-com type of books? I have The Reunion on my shelf and am planning to take Emily Henry’s Book Lovers on my trip to Charleston.
- Make my plan for Lent, reconnecting with what the season means to me.
- Dedicate an afternoon to prepping for my friends’ visit. Want to plan and prepare now, so that when the weekend arrives, I am ready to enjoy
What are you looking forward to in February?