What is your January feeling?
Jan 28, 2025
What is your January feeling?
For me, it’s overwhelm. The new year often brings a mix of excitement and pressure, a fresh to do list of goals, dreams and expectations. As I try to untangle myself from this feeling, I pick up the book I’m reading: Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Kathering May. My feeling of overwhelm isn’t exactly a “difficult time,” but I’m hoping reading will be calm me down and I can reconnect with a sense of peace.
Outside, the snow and ice cover the hillside in my back yard, creating a reflective glow. My solar panels sit idle because they are covered with ice. Even the dog struggles to navigate our frozen yard, reminding me that winter slows everything down. The slowed pace, the quiet after the snow and ice is a subtle invitation to remember that this is a season that almost demands we pause, whether we are ready or not.
Something about my current state nags me and I have the familiar urge to search for a newer better planner to organize my life and my dreams. The promise of a beautifully designed planner from JetPens, Amazon, or a specialty website feels irresistible. It whispers of a fresh start, structure and a life where I have it all together. In the middle of…a snowstorm. (You see the humor here, right?)
This isn’t new. My credit card statements will reveal that this is not a one-time activity. It’s a predictable January cycle for me. Each year, I convince myself that a planner will solve what I see as a problem: my inability to get EVERYTHING DONE. The truth? It’s not the planner that will change things. It’s me.
At one point, I had three planners going at once. Each one was more beautiful than the last, but none delivered the results I wanted. A planner can’t force me to follow a schedule, stick to habits, or get through my endless to do lists. Planners promise structure, clarity and control. They whisper, “This year will be different,” luring me into dreams consistent habits and accomplished goals. The magic fades quickly as a coffee stain mars the beautiful pages and I find myself falling behind again by February. The planner hasn’t failed and neither have I. A planner Is just a tool, only as effective as the mindset and habits of the person using it. So, what really creates progress?
If you and I want to do our best work, it’s important to remember that productivity and organization don’t come from shiny new planner pages, detailed plans or even goal-setting hacks. True productivity starts in our minds. What we think shapes how we feel, influences what we do, and what we do circles back to reinforce our feelings. Instead of thinking, “I have to finish everything,” try thinking, “I’ll focus on what matters most today. That simple shift can move us from overwhelm to intentional action.
Other mindset shifts can help, too:
“I always fail at my goals” becomes “I take small steps towards my goals every day”.
“I’ll never catch up becomes “I’m making steady progress.”
Sometimes, buying a new planner or notebook, even with pretty pens, highlighters, or stickers is often just a way of avoiding the discomfort of facing negative thoughts. The real work lies in changing our mindset and that starts with celebrating small wins.
Take a sticky note and write down one positive thought about the progress you planner can help you organize. Look for evidence of that thought each day. Did you take a small step? Write it down. Over time, you will have a long list of your progress and evidence that you are moving forward. This practice helps you see and believe in the power of small steps. Motivation comes and goes, but a list of actions taken offers undeniable proof of progress. And progress is the point, right?
Small wins help us temper our expectations, too. It’s tempting to use a planner to craft an impossible schedule, assuming we have more hours, energy and control than reality allows. This sets us up for failure before we start. Instead, focus on the small wins. Some people call it a TADA list. (As in TADA, I did it.) This simple practice trains your brain to focus on what you have achieved rather than what’s left undone, dismantling the perfectionism, fear of failure, and overwhelm that often paralyze us.
Creating a realistic plan starts with asking the right questions. Here’s a few that might help.
What matters most in this season?
What small steps can I take today, this week or this month that align with those things? What is working? What isn’t working?
What can I simplify or let go of?
Questions like these clear mental clutter and help us prioritize and choose what’s most important. Successful plans (in whatever planner or notebook you might use) are grounded in reality.
As February approaches, I challenge you to let go of the pursuit of the perfect planner and embrace the pursuit of progress. Let’s renew our minds, reshape our thoughts, and take small consistent steps. There’s power in small beginnings; trust it. Let’s focus on progress over perfection and prioritize intentional, steps forward. Let’s commit to not trying to squeeze in everything or plan every moment and give ourselves space to breathe. Just as winter asks us to slow down, progress asks us to trust small, consistent steps.
You don’t need a magic planner. Consistency matters far more than any planner ever will. Trust yourself. You’ve got this and I’m cheering you on.
As you work to find your own set of better thoughts, here’s a list of books, songs, and scripture that might help.
Books:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Plan by Kendra Adachi
Dream Big by Bob Goff
The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi
The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman
Music:
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson
“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
“Roar” by Katy Perry
“Beautiful Day” by U2
“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
“Unstoppable” by Sia
Scripture
Proverbs 23:7: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Romans 12:2: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Philippians 1:6: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
