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I am glad January is finally over. Aren't you? Frankly, it was kind of depressing — & I didn't even fully realize it until now that it is over.
That said, today marks a NEW month. A NEW opportunity to mold life into the experience we want it to be. AND, a NEW opportunity to shift our mindset & habits.
I have seen it joked that February 1 is the NEW beginning to 2021.
Maybe that's not such a bad idea?
If January wasn't all you had hoped, who says you can't just start your year over in February??
Begin again. February is a “short” month. It makes it “easier” to set grand goals.
The problem with big goals is that they feel like an even larger failure if they're not met.
And, that's definitely what's playing in the back of my mind!
BUT, what if, by setting some solid goals, we meet even HALF of them?
What if, by setting those goals, we accomplish more than we would have without that push?
What if that's EXACLTY what we need in order to get out of the mental rut January seems to have solidified?
Here are 4 ways to start your year over in February.
1). Commit to physical activity on a regular basis.
I know. Don't run off to puke now… I can't believe I am saying this either.
But, I lead a VERY sedentary life. I am on my rear most of the day. And, I am willing to bet, with us pushing toward a YEAR of shutdowns due to the pandemic, YOU probably are not as active as you would have liked either.
What can you fit into your daily life to be a bit more active — even for just 10 or 20 minutes each day? What if you AIMED for every weekday, say, but actually were more active just three or four times per week?
You'd still be better off than not aiming for a goal at all, right?
That's what I intend to do.
Every weekday, I intend to get up & get on my recumbent bike right in my home. I will watch some show while I just move my body. It's easier on my hips & back than ANYTHING else I could be doing & I don't need ANYTHING else to do it except my own willpower.
And willpower is what I am working on even more so than the physical activity if you think about it. 🙂
To start your year over in February, what will YOU do to be more physically active?
2). Shift focus to what brings you joy & hope.
I have been so focused on all the things I feel like I am FAILING at doing:
My direct sales business, my household chores, my abilities as a wife & mother, managing my mental health.
It's EXHAUSTING!
I will NEVER measure up to the ideals I have let into my head. I just won't — & that isn't negativity taking hold. It's reality. I've lost touch with who I really am & what is really necessary.
So, I am putting my direct sales business on a back burner (NOT giving it up completely).
I am titrating off the medications that make me feel like shit.
I am not going to focus on all the things I think I should be doing — & instead focus on the things that bring the most joy & hope.
As such, I need to focus more on my writing. It's what brings me the most hope & joy.
Writing is my therapy. And it's how I express myself & get things out of my head.
One day, I hope writing will be a source of income too. But, in the meantime, therapy is EXACTY what I need from it. So, writing emails to my favorite people & updating this blog are going to be more of a priority too.
To start your year over in February, what do you need to shift your focus to?
3). Learn love languages.
So, in shifting my focus to what brings me joy & hope, as I said before, does that mean I won't do household chores?
Uuuuh. No. They're necessary. (*Insert eye roll here. I know! *) But, frankly, this is especially since the handsome husband would literally kill himself to pull his weight AND mine if he thought it was what was best.
My joy comes from HIS joy as well as my own. So, I will focus on the small things I can do to bring that to him — even if some days it is simply having dinner done & the kitchen clean when he comes home.
Have you heard of the five love languages? The handsome husband's is Acts of Service. Soooo clearly.
It's totally not mine. But, it's his. So, I need to focus on that.
(Mine is physical touch. Words of affirmation is a CLOSE second, but it's physical touch! Surprising, huh?)
What's your love language? What do you think your partner's is? (You can take the quiz here.) Start your year over in February by focusing on the love languages that matter.
4). Give more.
This is tricky. It's easy to give so much that it takes from who you are & what you have. I've been there too.
But, for me, I have been so focused on how to make a living from home to help alleviate my own guilt & my husband's hard work that I have lost touch with ME.
And I am a giving person. I have TONS of mineral products & gifts intended to give away with purchases & even note cards & stationery that I just don't use.
It's time to purge.
Some will be gifts. Some will be highly discounted.
Some will be surprises. Some will be highly anticipated.
But, this month, I need to set this giving spirit into motion better than I have been.
Everyone registered with me will start receiving happy mail from me — YES! In the actual snail mail.
And, I will be offerring mystery mailers of various pricepoints valued at double (or more!) of their cost.
And, purchases made through any of my sites will start receiving gifts from me, as a thank you, to go along with them.
It's time to share gratitude more abundantly.
So, tell me which of these sounds the most exciting to you? (And, make sure you've registered with me here. You only need to do it once unless your information has changed.)
To start your year over in February, how can you be more giving? How can you take better care of yourself AND those around you?
I would love it if you'd shoot me an email to retajayne@confidenceandchaos.com to answer the questions throughout this article. Or, answer in the comments below.