hi. it's february.
welcome.
as we start a new month, let's reflect on January see how we did, then prepare for this next month.
I wrote a full post on my yearly goals, breaking them down for each month to actually accomplish them
HERE. and so, let's see how I did, then set up for our next month.
january reflect - how did I do?
let's begin with refreshing our minds of what my january goals were. I tried to make them specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant (the rules for SMART goals). obviously, they were time-bound because they had to be done within the month. so, here were my january goals:
☑ listen to bible + catechism in a year podcast - daily
☑ write + publish two blog posts - are you actually enough? + 2023 goals
☑ finish reading boundaries - by reading a page a day
☐ get a library card
☑ complete 18 workouts - doing 4 each week
☐ spend 93 hours outside
☑ save money
☐ volunteer
☑ register for a class - spanish
☑ make a non-toxic swap - toothpaste
☑ make a new recipe - chicken lo mein
☑ shop small business - love of earth co
☑ verse of the month - mercy is love when we don't deserve it, yet need it most. Fr. Mike Schmitz
☑ organize our home to make it more functional
☑ monthly deep cleaning our apartment
☑ prioritize my health - see the doctor
☑ gratitude list - 93 total
☑ have a date with God
☐ limit screen time - spent too much time on my phone
☑ upgrade our pots + pans
☐ enforce emotional boundaries - :/
☑ go on a friend date - coffee date
☑ hold myself accountable - I am honest with this reflection.
total grade = 78%
if you're 85% successful, you will see change. perhaps that is why I don't feel accomplished. I know I did somethings that I wanted to get done, and I feel good about that, but that really isn't enough to see success or change. I won't say I failed january but I wouldn't say I succeeded january either.
february must be better.
february reset - what I must do
so what are my february goals?
☐ listen to bible + catechism in a year - daily
☐ write + publish two blog posts
☐ finish reading atomic habits
☐ finish reading own your past, change your future
☐ complete 4 workouts each week
☐ spend 3 hours outside daily
☐ save $1000
☐ meal plan weekly + grocery shop only once a week (saves $$)
☐ volunteer at church
☐ attend sodality meeting
☐ attend transfer meeting
☐ make some non-toxic swaps - diy cleaning products
☐ learn a new recipe - any ideas are welcomed !!
☐ shop small business - for necessities only
☐ verse of the month
☐ no impulse buys !! - no eating out
☐ prioritize my health - seek help from those who love me
☐ gratitude list - 3 things I'm grateful for each morning
☐ take a holy hour
☐ no screens after 20:00
☐ enforce emotional boundaries
☐ catch up with a friend :)
☐ hold myself accountable
it is a lot.
it looks daunting for sure. I've written down a lot of bullet points of what I want to accomplish in this short month... but is it really that hard? I'd like to think not, but with my unsuccessful attempt last month I'm a little discouraged. more like, I don't feel hopeful in myself. anyways, this month is here and it's going to past nonetheless (read more about that HERE), I might as well do my best. let's make february my month. it's going to be wonderful.
I leave you with the verse for this month. I want to start implementing these verses in my daily routines - pray with them, reflect on them, live them out. they're not just here for me to awe over but can be life transforming. I read this in a recent catechism study, and it really spoke to me. how often am I guilty of wanting to control everything. it's scary to let go and trust. letting go puts you in a place of unknowns and that is scary. nobody likes not knowing, but to love fully, we must trust fully, and to trust fully we must let go and be in the unknown. and that is my motto for february: trust the unknown.
"my Lord and my God, take from me everything that distances me from you.
my Lord and my God, give me everything that brings me closer to you.
my Lord and my God, detach me from myself to give my all to you."
- St. Nicholas of Flue
Comments