October Report
October Report
& a November habit tracker for you! ✏️
Whew- October was a fun & full month…but I’m kind of glad it’s over. I hope you had a safe and memorable Halloween. We were lucky with amazing weather and it was the first year all three of my kids were excited to trick-or-treat; I went in with low expectations after the last few years, but it ended up being a really fun night- I hope yours was too!
I love the monthly report trend and have done them occasionally in my journal, but after reading
’s October report earlier this week, thought it would be a good way to wrap up the month here in this space too.Not at all important- I would ideally love to do this idea with a similar word that is more unique to my “brand”- if you have any fun ideas for a name for a monthly wrap up- please leave a comment!! My creativity is lacking this week- probably corresponding with the lack of sleep I’ve been getting lately 😑
I’m also going to share a little update on my “core four” habits that I’m focusing on in year 35, along with a habit tracker check-in (and a freebie for November if you’d like!)
October REPORT:
Reading: I just posted a recap of what I’ve read the last few months on the blog. But my very favorite book that I read this month was “Here One Moment” by Liane M. Here’s my review: This might be my favorite book of the year? I just loved it. It’s another book that makes you think about what you would do in the situation of the characters- what would you do if you were on an airplane and all the passengers were told the age they would die and the cause of their death? What would you do if the predictions started coming true? How would it alter the course of your life? Lots of interesting things to think about and a great cast of well developed characters. It is long, which I don’t always love, but this is one that I didn’t want to end. 5/5 stars
My favorite audiobook was Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. I think this is one that you need to listen to on audio vs read the physical copy, which I don’t often say. I thought this was a nice book to read during election craziness. It shares about a stereotypical conservative family, who’s daughter spends the summer babysitting for a more progressive family. It was a good reminder that people contain multitudes, people can change their minds, and it’s okay to fall somewhere in the middle.
Eating: I tried several new recipes from these two cookbooks! The recipes we tried from The Comfortable Kitchen were really good but not what I’d consider “laid-back” like the book suggests. I originally checked out What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by
from the library too, but the first three recipes we tried were so good that I asked for it for my birthday! Highly recommend.
Playing Practicing: Good sleep habits 🤓 I shared recently that I was struggling with anxiety and it was affecting my sleep. Well lack of sleep also happens to make my anxiety worse, so it feels like a never ending cycle 😵💫 And honestly, everything else in my life suffers when I’m tired. I’m less creative, less productive (which is fine sometimes, but not allll the time), less patient, etc. Basically just the worst version of myself. All that to say, I’ve been trying and will continue to practice next month- good sleep habits. Like doing all the things I know I should be doing, but am not…see “recommending” below for an example 😉
Obsessing: Over Substack- I just really love it here. I love that it feels social and inspiring, without the chaotic energy that social media brings. I’d love to find more people to follow- who are your favorite follows on this platform? The top three that come to mind for me are
, and .Recommending: Sleeping with your phone out of your bedroom. I know, I know. I resisted this idea for soooo long. One of those things that you know, deep down will make your life better, but feels scary/weird to do! It’s only been a week, but I noticed an almost immediate difference. When I’m inevitably woken up by a child (or three) at night, my phone isn’t there to wake up my brain, and I’m able to fall right back asleep. I’m also not reaching for it (and getting sucked into the scroll) first thing in the morning, which has been great too.
Treating: myself to….Halloween candy (100 Grands 🤩). But other than that, pretty much nothing! I bought zero clothes for myself this month (hasn’t happened all year prior to this month 😬 ) and only two other “extras”. See “contentment” below for more on this topic.
Core four:
My year 35 intentions all revolved around these four words: connection, creativity, contentment and consistency. Each month I’d like to revisit each intention and see how I’m doing and set goals for the next month accordingly.
Connection:
I’m in such a better place in this category than I was last year, and I’m so grateful. If you’re in a season of feeling isolated for whatever reason, I’m here to say, I know it’s so hard, but it can (and will!) get better. I’d like to really focus on parenting this month- not that I don’t always do that lol, but I want to be more present and positive. My younger two are both very much in the “toddler” stage right now and it’s been tough- I’ve been lacking patience big time. I want to try and focus on lots of positive interactions and less yelling1
Creativity:
Lots of creative energy went into creating content again after a long break! Which was fun to get to do again! But I’m realizing that what I really mean by creativity is something more artistic. Something to do 100% just for fun, just for me. Some artistic things I’d like to try/learn this year are: watercolor, embroidery, sewing and digital drawing on Procreate (what I’m going to focus on this month!) I also barelyyy picked up my journal this month. I’d like to do that more in November!
Contentment:
I’ve been in a weird place with shopping this year. I did actually need new clothes, due to changing sizes. Buuuut the shopping got to be a little too much. Like an order or two a week 🙈 And the clothes shopping habit evolved into other categories- like books…SO I’m very proud to say that I bought NOTHING for myself this month other than a secondhand Apple pencil and one book (using a gift card!)
Caring for my home also falls into the contentment category. I’m not doing as great in this department, but I think the Ultimate Simplify Your Life list is going to be helpful for this in the future!
Consistency:
I made it to the gym 3-4 times a week, which I’m happy with! And got my steps in most days. I struggle the most with being consistent with good nutrition. In November, I want to focus on taking the time to meal prep breakfast and lunch for the week. I also want to add in a consistent PM routine; I shared above that sleep has been a struggle lately. I’m hoping that by adding in a consistent routine, I’ll be able to fall and stay asleep better- which will improve every area of my life, TBH. And then the last thing I want to add in this area is consistently listing items that I’ve decluttered- with the goal of making $1000! (Details on the post linked below!)
Habit tracker:
Habit trackers will forever be one of my favorite tools to use. I come back to them time and time again. After using them for years, my biggest tip for success is this: don’t use them with the goal of perfection! Instead think of them as a visual for your goals. If you’re doing a habit the majority of the time, consider it a success 💪
I am including two versions of my habit tracker printables below. The first one is the one I’ve always used and offered (the style on the right), and the new one is the one on the left, which I’m excited about! It basically breaks it up so that you track a few habits each week, a few habits weekly, and a few habits monthly. Choose which one would work best for your life!
That’s all I’ve got for you today! I hope that November is great for you- and if it feels right, you can work on a few intentional habits so that you can show up as your best self for the holiday season. Thank you for being here ❤️
I literally never once yelled at my oldest and just didn’t get why people yelled at their kids. I didn’t realize how different personalities of your own children can be and how much more overstimulated I’d get with each child. Just want to share some solidarity if you yell at your kiddos sometimes too. Good news is, we can always work on being better, right? ❤️
Love this! I want to work on sleeping with my phone out of my room I’ve been looking to get an alarm clock and do this!