Thank you January / I heart February

Let me first say, I failed miserably in January. I think I wrote in my journal 1/3 of the time, and I'm pretty unhappy with myself. I feel guilty.

But.

January was supposed to be a month of reflection, and it certainly has proved to be just that. In one day, the course of 2009 totally changed for me, and I'm feeling really optimistic about it. I was laid off on Monday (the single biggest day for layoffs in history, woo!) and I've decided the best way to handle this is to see it as a wonderful opportunity to do something so much better than what I was doing before. There are so many options out there! It's mind-boggling, really. I was feeling pretty lazy about life, content with going to my okay job every day, but being laid off has really changed my outlook on things. Why wait around for opportunities to present themselves? I need to make something happen. So I'm applying to grad school, finding freelance jobs, applying to the Food Project, applying to be a substitute teacher, and signing up to take the MTELs. And perhaps traveling the world for free. And kicking off our non-profit trash-picking project, right Danne?

I'm so excited about all of the possibilities... normally I like my life to be really structured, and I like to know what's going to happen. But right now I don't know what's going to happen and it's kind of an awesome feeling. I can do whatever I want! Truly.

With that said, February's challenge comes at a perfect time for me. I can't afford to go out to eat or drink, and I have plenty of time to cook all of my meals, ensuring they are dairy/high fructose corn syrup/artificial flavoring free. I need to stay motivated and focus on what I want to do with my time, so this month will be good for laying low and as Danne said, finding more innovative ways to connect with friends. I'm hoping my February diet will help me feel lighter and more energetic. And shedding a few pounds won't hurt.

So January: I may not have completed your challenge to the best of my ability, but I've come up with new challenges for myself. Thank you for the enlightenment.

And February: Yay! I'm excited for you to arrive. It's a good thing you'll be here tomorrow.