Let's start again.

January felt like an entire Taylor Swift era, if there was a Taylor Swift era that felt like a campy haunted house with jump-scares around every corner.

I made some goals, as people do, for 2025. But it's tough to hold on to the bigger picture when the frame you're looking through keeps shifting. So, I decided to re-think things for February. Here's what I'm trying to do.

Practice tolerating discomfort.

Some of the best things require some discomfort. Growth, for one. Empathy and deep understanding is going to ask a lot of us to be really uncomfortable for the next few years. Sticking to my values means prioritizing being present and supporting people, which rarely feels restorative or peaceful in the moment.

Remember that small steps are still steps.

There is a lot to do, and it's all important. That's true. But consistent, small actions are just as important as the big moments. Sometimes, they're even more impactful because they build up a pattern of behavior.

Just squeeze it in.

I've been oh-so busy lately, and not entirely by choice. I can't make the stress and frenzy of my calendar go away, but I can try to balance out the bad-busy with good things. Like seeing my friends and doing activities I enjoy. Maybe I'll be sleep-deprived a while longer, but at least I'll have the opportunity for moments of levity and love in a tumultuous time.

What aspirations or motivations are keeping your head up this month?

What I'm reading: Real Life | Brandon Taylor

My ears to yours: The Cue | Sarah and the Sundays