Anticipating February
February is coming. December is barely a memory now because January has been such a great and busy month.
1 - I wanted to get one of the editing certificates offered by my editors' association in conjunction with Poynter, an institution where I got to do a 6-week journalism internship when I graduated college eons ago. - DONE
2 - I wanted to finally write an article for one of my favorite sites, TueNight.com. - DONE
3 - I wanted to finally launch this site by Jan. 24th. - LAUNCHED JAN. 15th.
4 - I wanted to find a mastermind group to help me corral my thoughts and plans for my service because I want to take it - and me - to new heights. I revisited my past favorite networking group and learned they have a new thing called Savor Circles. - JOINED.
5 - I wanted to get through this coaching challenge, Coach Ya Damn Self, to see just how it would impact my life because I simply had no idea what to expect since I was unexpectantly asked to be one of the leaders. What I found is a mastermind of awesome black women – we even had a lovely online “crossing over” ceremony. (It’s a sorority thing.) Now we're working together to create a new thing that was born from Natisha’s vision and taps into all the things that I love to do. This is no small thing either. You'll see.
6 – I wanted to offer free editing work beyond my immediate circle. I put it out there on Twitter and even though I only got one response to that call this month, I DID get that one – thanks to my dynamic friend Donna Johnson (so glad Twitter brought us together). These was also the opportunity to help Natisha with some final book edits, to launch a book idea for another friend (I'll keep that on DL until she's ready to put it out there) and even to encourage someone who wrote to me from my Faith article. She liked it and shared how she always wanted to write and blog and asked my opinion. So sweet. And so honored to be able to offer her any kind of support in that. You see all of that I just mentioned? That's manna from heaven. More please.
7 – I wanted to get into the habit of doing the daily things that enhance my life as well as help me stay on top of all the things I need to do every day for freelancing, growing my business, living my purpose and generally taking care of myself. I made a daily to-do list that I keep in the task list on my phone, and while I honestly can’t get through every single item every day (there are about 12 items on that list now), some of them I have been managing to stay on top of – like meditating, visualizing and praying every day, preferably morning, and I’m feeling a much greater inner peace about all these things as a result. As for the other things I’m not quite doing regularly, I don’t beat myself up about it. I just keep trying. As a matter of fact that is one of the goals going on the February list.
These are just some of the things I did in January that are coming to my mind at this moment. There’s more. There are people I’ve connected with. There are things I’ve learned about myself that opened me up and made me even more certain of what is to come, which increased my faith. And faith without works is dead. (James 2:14) In this case the works is making a decision, which is the foundation of whatever dream you seek to bring to pass, right? Right.
Now as for the February list. So far…
1 - How do I make room for the other things on my daily to-do list that are just as important to me as the things I am (usually) able to get done?
2 - Get a marketing plan developed AND set up.
3 - Create the outline for a 5-day challenge with the CYDS team.
4 - Finish Udemy certificate started in January.
5 - Start next Poynter/Aces editing certificate.
6 - Plan out the big picture for my editing service.
7 - POSSIBLY get VA to help me while I'm building this thing.
Seems like a simple list, doesn't it? Yeah. I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting something. But no matter. February won't be forgetting a thing, I'm sure. Gotta get back to it.
