2023 has started with a bang! After choosing my values for 2023, we went full steam ahead. Here’s a quick look at how January went and what’s planned for February.
Simplify: the great decluttering happened before the New Year, but it continued through this year. We often hold on to things because they may be useful one day. I got into the habit of putting things like that in the garage, and if, after two weeks, I didn’t miss it, it went to charity. We donated furniture, decorations, books (about 680 books total), and clothes. Having less meant cleaning less, and donating books to our local library was a win for us all.
With this, we decided we needed to do something about the downstairs. We have a 7-month-old Golden Retriever who enjoyed eating the carpet, we had our niece and nephew for 5 days, and honestly, I hate carpet and tile with a passion of a thousand suns. The new flooring is lovely, and we decided to paint as well because we clearly needed more to do. Now, we wanted to have our home done so we could welcome in anything 2023 will bring to us.
We also redid our powder room, and now it feels like a different house. I went to clean last weekend, and it was so much easier. There was less stuff. Not only is our home simplified, but it also brings so much joy!
Lastly, I got rid of social media accounts and now choose to spend more time off my phone. It has been lovely!
JOY: We absolutely filled out the month with joy. It started with two small visitors joining us for 5 days! Having them where was so much fun! We went to the zoo, watched all the Bluey, and enjoyed our time. Our family went to the Musical Instrument Museum this month, which was so much fun! We made lots of plans for February and cannot wait. I had dinner with my college girlfriends and attended t-ball games and three conferences. Although I had fun, it was a full month, and I am ready for a bit more rest.
Stability: this was an excellent month for stability. Our overall financial situation has improved with raises, and our budget has been easy to follow. We’ve made a few changes and feel good moving forward. I made a 5-week meal plan, and it has been so helpful. We spend less on groceries and are not fighting decision fatigue. It has left us more time to sit as a family for dinner. Lastly, I hit 200 strength classes and over 1k minutes with Peloton this past month. I finished two strength programs and feel stronger than I have in years.
In addition, I have been taking a doctoral writing class. It has been a fun challenge, and I enjoy being in a classroom as a learner again. I know that changes are coming in the next 6 weeks, and we have set ourselves up to succeed in welcoming those challenges.
And to leave you with a little more joy, here is a photo of our Ollie smiling for the camera. I hope it brings you joy.
Liz Evans, NBCT 