What I learned in January 🥶

And some intentions for February.

I’m writing to you from a coffee shop on a chilly, gray day. I’m drinking a latte that tastes shockingly like an almond croissant and eating a banana bread. It is not the weekend, but as they say, treat yo self. (We’ve been watching too much Parks and Rec, but really too many of the Dominos ad where Donna has to wait for those goons to “treat yo self” 6x before she gets her pizza.)

Anywhooooooo. I let January be a slow one, easing into the year without too much pressure to get my goals or resolutions right, or even set them at all. I’m starting to be believer in the idea that January is not the month you’re meant to change your life. It’s cold. It was also a heavy month. RIP Reneé Good, Alex Pretti, and those killed by ICE. The news kept getting worse, I kept wondering “What are they trying to distract us from…”

Personally, we had a bit of travel, but I was able to do my annual reset, which usually includes:

• Not buying anything on Amazon

• Not buying any new clothes or anything new for the house

• Not drinking

📦 I'm on an Amazon cleanse

The first two are still going strong. The second one lost the battle that was a wedding in New Orleans…

I find that this little reset is usually a lot easier than I anticipate it to be and helps reset my spending after the holidays drain my pocketbook.

I’ve come a bit closer to the goals and intentions I want for my year and landed on an affirmation that has been bringing me back to them. I’m operating under the understanding that these might change (especially as life is guaranteed to change this year) and trying to have fun and make progress within the things I can control. I’m filled with a bit of anxiety (and obsessively checking my email) as I wait for grad school interview invites… 🤞

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Things I learned in January:

🧡 Mental Health First Aid: If we’re talking real, tangible learnings, here’s one. I did a full day training on how to notice and support youth who are going through mental health struggles. If you have or spend time with kids, I’d highly recommend it. The signs are easier to spot when you know what they are. Learn more →

☎️ Calling your reps works: I used 5calls.org. Defund ICE.

📈 It takes me awhile to bounce back: Back to that wedding in New Orleans… late nights, rich foods, and one too many glasses of champagne definitely did a number on my system. I wasn’t expecting it to take a full week for me to return to center. Next time I’ll plan for it, and also do laundry IMMEDIATELY after returning home. I’m convinced that’ll help.

💬 I have boundaries. I’m learning to express them: I learned a little bit about my own boundaries this month! That’s all I’ll say about that.

🫶 Conflict deepens relationships: For a lot of my life I’ve been afraid of confrontation and/or conflict. I’m reorienting my thoughts around this to live with the understanding that honesty, confrontation, and vulnerability are the heart of a healthy and deep relationship, romantic or platonic. It’s a work in progress, but the awareness is there.

👫 We’re a team: Looking through my weekly reflections from January, I often had a lot of gratitude for my partner, Sean. Right now, he’s drinking a pour over coffee and eating a kolache, but a lot of the time he’s the base of my support system. As cliche as it is, he’s my rock. In January, I was reminded that as long as I ask, he’ll help me, no matter what that ask is. Thank you, Sean. 🫶

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What got me through January

• Heating pads: I one like this one and also this one. My morning routine incorporates the bean bag one and my evening routine begins when I turned on the electronic one under my sheets.

• Table for One by Emma Gannon: I quick and lovely read. Although it’s always funny when people write about startups… it always feels like there’s a slight disconnect between the reality of what it’s like to be in early stage companies and what’s written.

• Wide leg comfy pants: Elevated enough that I don’t feel like I’m wearing sweatpants or activewear, but comfy for a work from home day. I love these and they’re on sale right now.

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My goals & intentions for February

This month, I spent some time with my yearly and quarterly goals and oriented my monthly goals around them. This year I’m trying something new: 3 “strategic” goals each month and 1-2 fun goals. We walked through this process in February’s Reflect + Plan.

📚 Getting A’s on my midterms: This semester I’m taking Personality of Psychology and Research Methods and I’d like to do well in them. I’ve found that making this an intention actually works! How fun! I wish college-aged Zoë knew this…

🖥️ Beefing up my portfolio: I’ve done some fun design work over the last few years and I want to add it to my website, which is fairly bare at the moment.

💰 Setting financial goals: Working with great people is fun! Doing work you like and are good at is awesome! It’s also nice to make money while doing so.

🎨 Going to a new art exhibit: Not much else to say about that.

🎉 Celebrating my birthday! Not sure what the whole plan is, but I have a massage scheduled and I hear there’s a major astrological alignment happening on 2/20 so that’s fun.

In this month’s Reflect + Plan, folks were working through goals related to health, their physical spaces, fun and recreation, and new businesses. It’s always fun to hear what people are working on and where there are overlaps in goals or intentions.

Maybe you’ll join us next month?

That’s all for now, have a great month. Take care of yourself and your people. Speak up for what you believe in, whatever way feels right to you.

Zoë