Why February Has the Potential for Shaping the Rest of Your Year (Hint: It's Not What You Think It Is)

"The beginning is the most important part of the work." – Plato

If you can get February right, you can get your whole year right.

Why I Say This

To understand why February is one of the most important months in the year with regard to your goals, we are going to take the example of a child. With the advanced research in children's mental health, most are aware how important the first few years of a child's life are.

These years have the potential of shaping most of the outcomes the child will have in their adult life. If they experience good parenting, they are bound to have greater self-esteem and a good self-image and will grow up to be a very well-rounded individual.

The same is the case with February. It is the child as compared to the other months. Think of Feb as a 4-5-year-old kid who, if receives the right amount of attention, can thrive all year long. This is why February is so important when it comes to your aims, goals, and resolutions.

If you get this month right, whether that be planning your goals, changing your mindset, or redefining your beliefs, you will be in a flow state for the rest of the year. But how do you do that? Worry not, because I have collected some of the best tips for you to make this month the best yet.

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Steps For Success

Before we start, one thing to keep in mind is that the month of February is not where you become a totally different person. It is where you step into the energy of your best self, step by step. February is not a sprint towards your dreams; it is a part of a marathon.

Step 1: Declutter

Before starting anything, you need to have a clean space and mind. Now, since we are on a time limit, this decluttering won't be super in-depth; instead, you will be removing visual clutter. Meaning, messy areas of your house/room that demand your visual attention.

Mess, which makes you look towards it. If you want to take it a step further, you can even declutter your digital space by sorting out emails, photos, videos, etc.

This will help you cultivate a more grounded mindset by making you worry about one less thing. But remember, the key is to only spend around 4-6 hours doing this; anything longer than that can be picked up in the other months.

Step 2: Deciding The Theme For February

The next step is all about answering this question: What is your theme for this month?

What do you want to be the focus of February? Is it self-care? Maybe it's your academics/work, or maybe you want to build your confidence in these 28 days.

The easiest way to decide the theme of the month is by looking at your goals and picking 2-3 goals for February. Not more than that.

Step 3: The Extras

The extras are goals that are important to you but don't have the centre stage on your vision board. For example, learning a language, trying out a new habit such as meditation or journaling, or deciding to paint/draw more often. These are all goals that you need to try out before deciding to stick to them.

But making time for all of them in a single month is hard, maybe even unmanageable. Rather than making time for all these goals every day, you are going to pick 1-2 goals of your liking.

Then you are going to pick any 2 days out of the week to practice these goals. By the end of the month, you are going to have a solid 8 days of trying out the picked goals under your belt. And these days are going to help you determine whether these goals can fit into your daily routine or not.

If they don't fit, you can simply cross them out of your vision board and move on with the rest. The key here is to be lenient with yourself and give yourself space.

Pro Tip: If you want to be extra productive, then you can choose these small goals according to the theme of the month you have decided. For example, if your theme is self-love and you have a goal of getting better at managing stress, then you can pick this goal. This way, the goals of the same category can be worked on simultaneously.

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The Homework

If you thought that this was going to be another "How To" article, then you are completely wrong. Why? Because I don't want to just write words, I want to make sure that you have steps and a map you can follow to become the best version of yourself.

Therefore, this homework chapter is going to give you actionable steps you can do right now to make sure you are working towards your dream life every day.

Homework Task No. 01

Pick one mess to clean. Whether it is folding your laundry, cleaning your vanity, organizing your side table, or even deleting apps from your phone you don't use. Set a timer of 20 mins on your phone and work like a QUEEN. Try to stick to these 20 minutes because this lessens the feeling of being overwhelmed and makes you feel in control.

Homework Task No. 02

Pick 2-3 goals for this month as mentioned above, and make a step-by-step guide you can follow to achieve that goal. If it is healthy eating, write down what vegetables, fruits, beans, and meat you will be eating and when you will be eating them. Write down what snacks you will be swapping with healthier alternatives to stay on track.

If it is developing a side hustle or working on your existing business/product, write down how much time you can dedicate to it each day. Research what you need to achieve your goal. Write in detail about it.

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Mindset Shifts For February

You did everything written above. Selected your goals and planned them in detail, but what about your mind? Our brain is one of the most important things when it comes to achieving our goals.

This is why I have included some mindset shifts or affirmations for the month of February that are going to help you and provide reassurance when things get tough.

• "I have the potential to achieve all my goals."
• "I am turning my dreams into a reality."
• "Everything always works out in my favour."

In The End

I really hope this article provided you with the direction and motivation you needed. One thing to remember is that no matter what, if you are consistent and stick to your goals even when life feels off track, you will achieve them, and you will become everything you dream to be.

Let me know what you think below. And if you have any questions, drop a comment!