It’s time for another monthly wrap-up. I don’t know what happened to me, but I got seriously motivated in February to tackle some goals. I do know what happened. In January, I ran the Hot Chocolate 10K, and I wouldn’t say I liked how I felt when I finished. I felt down about my performance, and I wanted to do better. It’s just like the Sister Hazel song, Change Your Mind.

“If you want to be somebody else, If you’re tired of fighting battles with yourself. If you want to be somebody else, Change your mind.”

I’ve been living in my comfort zone with my workouts because I was making excuses for myself. In February, I stepped out and made some changes. I put in the work, and I went after some running goals. And I started to see results. It felt good! My discipline kicked in, and I committed to the workouts even if they happened at 7 pm.

With that being said, I can’t have it all. My content creation slacked because my goals changed, and I got busy with work. There always needs to be more time in the day. Life is fluid, and things are constantly changing. It’s about adapting and knowing my boundaries. I can’t be upset because I was going after what I wanted. And I did accomplish a lot during the month. 

We spent much time together as a family this month, and it’s been nice.  I volunteered at Tot’s school on Valentine’s Day and had a lot of fun.  I always think I will dread those moments, but I have a lot of fun.  Well, maybe because I got to see Tot at school.  If you haven’t noticed, I’m not an overly social person, so putting myself in those situations causes a lot of anxiety. Willie and I even had a date night at Hotworx, where we did hot yoga.  He thought it was only 15 minutes because he misunderstood the difference in the workouts.  But he did great during the 40-minute session, and I might have walked out if he didn’t do it with me the first time.

February Highlights:

• A Hotworx opened up in my city, and I signed up. I didn’t think I would like it, but I did. Yoga and slow workouts aren’t my jam, but it is an excellent mix with my running. I’ll have a whole blog post on Hotworx coming soon.
• At the start of the year, I set a goal to cook one new meal a month. I took the easy route in January but tried a crockpot chicken curry in February. The recipe was easy and filling. This meal will be part of my meal prep rotation.
• I found a pair of jeans that fits my body. I have thick thighs, and finding jeans to fit is always a process, and it sometimes makes me feel horrible about myself. I decided to try some wide-legged jeans, and they fit so well.  
• I spent too much money at Dunkin’ in February, but that’s because the cold brews were $2. Worth all the money!

Honorable mentions:

• I fell into the NCIS hole and found my new favorite show: NCIS: Hawaii.  
• F1 returned with testing, and Drive to Survive hit Netflix. The F1 season is long, but it’s hard not to be in it during the break. I’m glad it’s back. I’m counting the days until the United States Grand Prix in Austin!
• I got a Stanley Cup. I followed the trend. The thing that pushed me over the edge was the green (Spirulina) color. I saw it and decided I needed it, even though I didn’t. I went to Dick’s four days in a row starring at Yeti cups, so my wanting of a new cup was real. Now, what am I to do with my three Hydroflasks?

What I read in February:

I wasn’t in a huge reading mood this month, but I still focused on reading for 20 minutes daily. I managed to read four books this month, and it wasn’t a horrible reading month. I just preferred to watch television or play Nintendo Switch instead of reading. 

The Atlas Paradox by Olivia Blake is the sequel to The Atlas Six. I enjoyed the first book, but the second book didn’t meet my expectations. In hindsight, these books are overwritten. There was much talking about nothing, which added nothing to the story. There’s a difference between character-driven vs. action-driven plots, which should have been action driven. The development of the characters did nothing to advance the story. Rating:  1.5 stars.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a historical fiction book about Carrie Soto reviving her tennis career and being the circuit’s oldest person. Reid does a great job of immersing the reader in the time and places throughout the book. I love a great sports story; a comeback story always gets me. I loved how this story was about fueling the need to be the best, but also a story of a family. This book had so many layers, and I was sad to see it end. This book is a great read! Rating: Five stars.

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis is a historical fiction book based in the 1910s Chicago, following four black women during a trying time in history. Olivia is a daughter of the Davenport Carriage Company and should be looking for her husband during the upcoming season to carry on the family legacy. Amy-Rose is a servant for the Davenports (and a childhood friend of the Davenport children) and hopes to break away to open her hair salon. She falls in love with Olivia’s brother, John, who she can’t marry due to status. Ruby is Olivia’s best friend, and her parents press her to “marry up” with John to save the family name, but she falls for someone else. And Helen, the sister of Olivia and John, wants to take over the family business but isn’t allowed to explore her dreams because she’s a woman and is expected to marry. So many things happen in this book, which makes the story interesting, especially how often the storylines of each woman cross paths with each other. It’s a good juxtaposition between the characters, all seeking the same thing: happiness. Rating: Three and a half stars.

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas is a fake dating troupe between Catalina and Aaron. Catalina’s dating life could have been better, but she needs a date for her sister’s wedding. Aaron volunteers for the job, but Catalina can’t take him seriously because he never pays her attention or acts like a friend. It’s a cute love story that takes some twists and turns. There’s just enough heat to pique your interest, but a solid love story. Rating: Three and a half stars.

What I could have done better this month:

The entire month, I felt tired. There was something off. Perhaps I was just too busy and got overwhelmed. It could be too much stress which leads to a lack of sleep.  

I also only got a little content produced in February. I had the ideas but needed more time and energy to execute them. I can only schedule so many things in a day. I plan every minute of the day but need to schedule the downtime to rest and reset. 

All in all, that was my only complaint of the month. There’s always room for improvement, but February was a solid month that checked off most boxes.  

Videos I made this month:

That is all for the month of February.

What were your hit and miss for February?  And what are you working towards in March?