Dear 2016, Slow. Up. I just picked my word for the year and finished off my New Year's Eve champagne like five minutes ago and now it's two days until February!

Whew.

1. Planning your weekend on Wednesday WORKS.

I'd read this tip from Laura Vanderkam before but Nicholas and I committed to really trying it this month. I put a weekly reoccurring item on Todoist so every Wednesday I remember to ask the boys and Nicholas what they want to do that weekend. I spent a half an hour making a list of ideas in Evernote if we're feeling uninspired. It is fun to anticipate anything we've planned. Plus we've been able to do things important things we've wanted to do forever but that are always getting overwhelmed by more urgent things or require a bit of planning... like going to this awesome little restaurant.

2. Cheryl Strayed is a GENIUS.

I read Wild - the memoir that made Cheryl Strayed famous a few years ago and loved it. I knew she also wrote an advice column but didn't really think much of it until Modern Mrs. Darcy called the collection of those advice columns, Dear Sugar: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar, a book that would make you a better human.

She was NOT kidding. I've been working my way through this book all month because the emotional punch every letter packs is too much to read them all quickly. To a woman who recently lost her baby she writes, "You have to live through it and love it and move on and be better for it and run as far as you can in the direction of your best and happiest dreams across the bridge that was built by your own desire to heal." And they are ALL as good and as big as that sentence.

3. Action cures fear.

I did a big thing this month. I filed to run for public office. It was scary and intimidating and I spent a lot of time being afraid of doing it. But then I just DID IT and the forward momentum - as well as all the support and encouragement of those who love me most - carried me through it. And now I'm doing it and I realized you can't be afraid of something you've already done. Not to mention, you can't sit and worry if you're too busy doing shit that needs to be done because you DID THE THING.

So, listen to me - whatever it is you're most afraid of - DO IT ANYWAY.

4. Freezer meals are LEGIT.

My husband spent the first weekend of the month. Prepping 30 meals to store in our deep freeze for us to eat throughout the month. It has been SO awesome. When we would previously just ordered pizza or eaten out, we've had a hot meal ready by turning on the crock pot! I PROMISE I'll have all the recipes ready soon but Nicholas insisted we actually eat the food and make sure they are good first. Spoiler: They've all been great so far!