trial month

I read something online that their 2024 would be “starting on February 1, because January was a trial month,” (paraphrased). I know I definitely saw a similar sentiment for 2023 and probably for years before that, because

January is a long month with stumbles, big and small, over resolutions. Snow piles make parking difficult, and the kids had their midterms postponed and then postponed again due more to “cold days” than the snow itself. Truthfully, the worst driving days were spent carefully plowing through the neighborhood to their schools, and each time we received the “no school tomorrow” call, I felt grateful not to be the one making decisions.

Bitter cold, snow, Lions football games, the inability to remember how sun looks or feels. All of those things contribute to a lack of motivation.

It wasn’t all bad.

Dylan turned fourteen. Maybe it’s his January birthday, but he loves the cold and snow, and happily uses his school’s ski club to hang out with friends outside on Friday nights. I tried to work out more. I tried to eat for fuel and not feelings, though that’s a constant struggle for me. I didn’t drink at all between the cruise and our date night to see Wicked, though I wanted to say I feel more rested but truly haven’t noticed a difference. We saw Wicked.

I sat down the other day to plan out February, to set goals and think about which habits to track and which I could let slide. We have 29 days in February this year, perfect for my little Aquarius, who can’t wait to turn sixteen near the middle of the month.

After the frustrations and lethargy of a gloomy January, I’m trying to keep February simple.

Move my body. Daily.

Write some words. Daily.

Read some words. Daily.

I hope those seemingly small steps add up to a more centered month, one where I don’t feel too guilty for nachos, one where those little things get purposefully in the way of endless internet scrolling. I’m interested to see where this Leap Month takes me.