Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
Self-Improvement Stuff, Part 2: #FreshStartFebruary #FixUpFebruary #ForgivenessFebruary
We’ve arrived on the eve of February and many of us crashed and burned on our New Years Resolutions. Studies say 80% of people abandon their resolutions before the end of January.
So, that’s it, right? Wait until next year to improve, right? It’s OK. Nobody actually makes good on the things they promise themselves at the beginning of each year.
No, I say. What’s that old proverb about the best time to plant a tree?
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
So what! I know what happened in January. You were good for a week doing whatever you were going to do, then skipped a day. But you got back to it. Then you were good for a few more days and before you knew it, you were completely off track. I know. I’ve been there. Oh, wait. I’m there, now.
The best time to start a new habit or take steps towards a dream is 20 years ago (or 31 days ago). The second best time is now.
It’s OK. I’m giving you full permission to forgive yourself for your failings and if you failed at Dry January or Veganuary, or you didn’t get on that treadmill for 20-minutes each day, or you ate a cookie or twelve …me too. I was going to kick some butt at #75Hard. I was going to really start writing, daily, and finally finish my romance novel (don’t ask …but I have a GREAT story and for some reason it felt like the right thing to build around a romance). I was going to roll up my sleeves and recommit to my day-job for the entire 9-5 day. I was going to end the bad habits and sloth-like behavior around my early mornings and evenings and focus on my writing and marketing clients. I was going to pray with purpose each morning and journal to organize my thoughts.
Guess what I did instead? Woke up to my alarm at 5:15 a.m. and put on my favorite humorous Podcast and laid there listening.
#FreshStartFebruary #FixItFebruary #FuckedUpFebruary
80% of people fail at their New Years Resolutions. But what percentage of people start again in February? There’s probably not even studies on that because nobody thinks Febuary 1st is a notable date …but let’s change that.
Studies also show that, sometimes, it’s easier to focus around a single, central anchor. So pick one of mine, or make your own?
- Fresh Start February – take a look at your New Years Resolutions and start again (plant that tree NOW)
- Fix Up February – OK. So you broke some things …like promises to yourself. Fix that and promise yourself, again.
- Fucked Up February – Well …we fucked up in January. Apologize (to yourself?) and don’t F’ up again (I used curse words specifically for reader Nick G. He likes curse words in his self-improvement stuff.
- Forgiveness February – Forgive yourself. We all make mistakes. Guess what? You’ll mess up and fail, again. You will. We alllllll will. Failure is OK if you learn and improve from it. Use any metaphor you want (baby learning to walk, kid learning to ride a bike, person learning to drive, etc). Mistakes and missteps happen. Work to avoid the same missteps. Don’t beat yourself up (easier said than done …I’m 47 years old and I still don’t do the best job of it)
So, join me in #FreshStartFebruary. Let your critics roll their eyes and think, “oh, here he goes again.”
Let’s do this. Tomorrow …we re-introduce #ResolutionADay. See you then.
Don Kowalewski 