End of January 2025 Roundup
There are routines. And then there are routines.
The end of January has been all about a return to routines. JB went back into the office for the first time after holiday/vacation time and that clearly sets the tone for our mornings where I make his lunch and have my first (and usually only) cup of coffee once he heads out the door.
My work life has begun in earnest as well with a collection of meetings due to the resumption of some editing type work. And I’ve had my first coaching call of 2025.
Routines are about efficiency.
Routines are about making conscious choices around how to expend our energy and use our precious time. So, a return to routines is always the foundation for a well-lived life.
And, to support those goals I set for 2025, the establishment of new routines is often necessary. Where I am lucky, it’s a matter of a “habit stacking” which is a technique that helps create new routines that support a new goal by linking new actions or habits to already existing ones.
For an example, here is how I am using habit stacking to support my fitness goal of going into the gym for a solid “leg day”.
I decide the night before if I will be coming straight home from the gym the next day OR if I have errands to run which will require a change of clothes.
I pack - and then set out - my workout bag next to my purse.
When we get up, I immediately dress in my workout clothes.
When I make JB’s lunch, I pack myself a small insulated bag at the same time that contains water, an electrolyte drink, and a protein shake.
My day-to-day routines will need some work in the coming months - especially in regards to my creative/writing life. But I’m trying to grant myself some patience and grace.
We also did our first trip of 2025.
It was a work trip for JB and, by tagging along, it allowed me to set up some meetings with clients in the area.
This why I used the subtitle of “there are routines and then there are routines” for this update. Because there are daily life routines that make up the majority of our lives.
And then there are the routines that we’ve both established when it comes to traveling. Prior to meeting JB, I traveled at least one week a month. And prior to the COVID, JB traveled about 45% of the time. This means that we both have very established travel routines for ourselves and as a couple. From packing to what we do at the airport to how we manage living out of a hotel for a few days or a few weeks.
Our travel routines as a couple are still solid: he drops me off at the terminal and while I check the bags, he parks the car. We sit together on the plane when we can though it isn’t necessity. We both read (and he also listens to music). Once we check into the hotel, we both unpack. There is a visit to a nearby grocery for a bottle of wine, some bottled water, and snacks such as crackers.
To be honest, my personal travel routines need improvement. In part, I think it’s because I used to keep a variety of travel bags packed with what I consider essentials. In part of the decluttering and tidying up, I arrived without a pair of scissors, Q-tips, or tweezers.
I also packed way too many clothes despite thinking I wasn’t doing so.
My Domestic Life
I mention this also in regards to my domestic life. Because traveling with JB allows us to keep important facets of our lives intact - waking up together, talking about our days after work, having dinner together, and then going to sleep together. While this may seem small on the outside, these are important moments in this life we have chosen to share together.
It was especially important this week as it meant we were together for JB’s birthday. We went to dinner at the same restaurant where we had our first dinner date. And we actually had the exact same waiter we did all those years ago who (not) surprisingly remembered us. (He has worked at the restaurant since 1993!)
We had a long, delicious, and delightful meal overlooking the city (and the airport). And I am grateful we left about 20 minutes before the tragedy.
To be able to infuse a little romance into our lives on a what could be a random Wednesday is certainly a gift that I don’t take for granted for life is truly precious.
Consumption of Media
I’d love to be able to tell you that I’ve consumed less news this week, but that is not the case. Due to current events, I feel a compelled to watch more news than usual due to my many years of travel especially in and out of Regan National Airport.
My social media usage is down. I haven’t really been on social media much beyond a quick call with a girlfriend on FB Messenger this week (I say quick but we talked for more than an hour).
I am doing a lot of re-reading right now. Diving into stories I already know lubricates my brain in a different way that reading new-to-me books. Those who love a re-read know what I mean, right?
TV wise, we’re still working our way through Longmire (we’re now on Season 3) and Magnum PI (Season 6).
I also gifted myself some ephemera: The Cottage Letters from Janice MacLeod, author of Paris Letters. Once a month, you receive a letter in the mail along with some extra “goodies”. The January letter included an oracle card as well as a postcard that I could send - and the letter was just a delight. I can’t wait for the February letter!
And that, my dear, is a recap of January 2025.
I’d love to hear about how YOUR January. What are your reading and watching? What about your goals and desires for 2025? Tell me all about it…