February Activities

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Romance yourself. I'm a big fan of year-round self-love, but Valentine's Day inspires a little extra self-lovin'. Write a love letter to yourself about all your favorite features and qualities, spend a day doing all your favorite things, or make yourself an elaborate dinner.

Light a candle when you work. I've started doing this and it is divine! Lighting a candle will help you focus and it's an instant mood brightener. Bonus points: choose a scent that corresponds to a mood you want, like lavender for relaxation.

Make time to read a book every day. Reading is such a valuable habit to cultivate. If you squeeze in just 15 minutes of reading time a day, you will have no problem finishing a book or two a month. Read a little before bed, while waiting for an appointment, or with breakfast. Reading is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to learn more and expand your vocabulary -- hop to it! Kristen has some great tips for finding time to read, and if you need recommendations, check my Pinterest board.

Take part in #28DaysofBlackCosplay. February is Black History Month, and in celebration, a group of cosplayers is partnering up to feature a black cosplayer or cosplay duo each day. Check out the hashtag and follow along, there are so many great cosplayers out there!

What's your must-do for February?

Looking for more ideas? Here's last year's list!

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January Activities

(Print by BumbleNBirch)

Choose a word or phrase to guide your year. I love picking a single intention for how I want the year to go -- some of my previous words have been "fearless," "bloom," and "balance." This year, my word is "sparkle," and I even made a Pinterest board dedicated to the way I want to live 2015.

Follow Mia Moore's board {sparkle} on Pinterest.

Adopt this mantra: You are enough. The new year is a time where many feel the need to completely change who they are, from habits to goals to vices. While resolutions and goals are great, remember that you are exactly enough the way you are now. You're doing great!

Treat yourself to something to make your goals a little easier. It's common to reward yourself once you achieve a smaller goal -- go to the gym consistently for a month, buy new gym shoes -- but that might actually be holding yourself back from achieving your goal in the first place! Buy the shoes now, upgrade to the premium version of a website you use often, prioritize a new camera for your photography... whatever it takes!

Challenge yourself to leave your phone in the car or at home... on purpose. I'm the first to admit that I'm on my phone a little too often. If something is uncomfortable, boring, or a little too silent, it's easy to hop on your phone and scroll through Instagram. Lately, I've been leaving my phone where I can't reach for it so I can focus only on the people I'm with. 

What are your must-dos in January?

P.S. - Thank you to everyone who has filled out my Reader Survey so far! Your answers are extremely helpful. If you haven't filled it out yet, please click here to do so!

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November Activities

Print by Mint Nite Design

Organize a photoshoot. Before the weather turns unbearably cold, grab some fun props and a cool outfit, and organize a fall photoshoot! Enlist your friends as models and find a photographer-friend, or bring your tripod and have a lavish, personal photoshoot.

Start a new Thanksgiving tradition. Bake your own from-scratch pie this year, run a Turkey Trot 5K the morning of, or get your family involved in a gratitude exercise before Thanksgiving dinner.

Do creative cross-training. If you're a writer, why not try painting or knitting? Musicians, give photography a shot (see what I did there?). There are so many different ways to express yourself! Working in a medium that is outside of your usual realm can help you see your work in a totally different light, and I highly recommend it.

Participate in #Nerdvember. Nerdvember is an outfit challenge run by Set to Stunning to wear your nerdy clothing and accessories all month long! Snap a pic, post it on Instagram with the correct hashtags, and you can be entered to win awesome prizes! I'm participating, so be sure to follow to see updates.

What's your must-do for November?

And if you're looking for more, why not check out last year's November activities guide?

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October Activities

DIY a denim vest. Now that the weather is cooling down, denim vests are comfortable to wear again! Grab a cheapo vest from Forever 21 or a thrift shop and decorate it to your heart's content. Dip dye, install studs, sew on patches, add buttons... make it yours! 

Make cinnamon roll pancakes. With a swirl of cinnamon-sugar in the middle, Kerbey Lane Cafe carries my all-time favorite pancake - the cinnamon roll pancake. Make some at home with the Minimalist Baker's recipe!

Pledge to read the printed word. Autumn is the perfect time to get cozy with a good read. Pick up the latest comic books or join an online book club, like the NovelTea book club run by Kristin at My Life as a Teacup.

Treat your hands nicely! Give yourself a weekly manicure, use cuticle oil daily, and carry hand lotion with you. A little effort goes a long way. This extends to the rest of you, too - take care of your temple!

What's your must-do in October?

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August Activities

Mermaid Print by Scrawny Girl

Start doing a monthly self-review. I learned about this idea from Belle of Exist, who wrote a nice, comprehensive guide to conducting a monthly review. I started mine this month - I'm excited to see if I accomplish my monthly goal.

Try analog instead of digital. It's so easy to get caught up in the convenience of digital. Streaming music and TV shows, sending texts, emails, and IMs, and shopping online are all awesome developments, but sometimes it's impossible to resist the temptation to multi-task. Switch to analog for a moment - shop in person for comic books and clothing, listen to a CD, or write a letter to a friend for a change in pace. You may find you prefer the old-school version!

Set aside 10 minutes a day for pet cuddling time. Like access to sunshine or exercising regularly, petting an animal is something that can help keep depression and other mental illnesses at bay. Why not use this discovery as an excuse to spend quality time with your furry friend?

Notice your complaints. One method I recently learned to keep track of when you complain is to wear a rubber band or bracelet, and switch it to your other wrist every time you complain. It really gets you conscious of this habit! Thinking positively is one of the easiest ways to improve your mood, so if you're having issues with negativity, try this trick out.

What's your must-do for August?

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June Activities

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Sign up for HabitRPG. Gamerwife did an awesome write-up on her experience that convinced me to give it a try, and I really love it! I guess I'm more motivated by virtual rewards than I thought. We even have a party for the Female Geek Bloggers community.

Get yourself a super-cute swimsuit. Perfect for water parks, reading by the beach, or lounging by the pool! My favorite retro-inspired swimwear is usually found at ModCloth, but treat yourself to any suit that makes you feel great.

Learn more about the Quantified Self movement. From last.fm to Goodreads, I've always been obsessed with tracking my activities. I stumbled upon Exist.io, a service that connects a variety of tracking tools to find correlations, and I signed up as soon as I could. Too cool! Try self-tracking yourself to see if it leads to any interesting correlations.

Invest in your hobby. What would take your hobby to the next level? Taking a class or online workshop on a new technique? Buying new equipment to make mundane tasks go by quickly? Allow yourself to make the investment. It's totally worth it if you do that activity often enough!

What's your must-do for June?

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May Activities

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Clean out your closet. It's called spring cleaning for a reason! I'm planning on doing this soon myself, and selling, swapping, or donating my extra clothes. (Don't know where to begin? Read my guide about selling and swapping clothing online!)

Celebrate the accomplishments of someone you are close to. May covers both Mother's Day and graduation, so it's a good time for showing someone you are proud of them. Why not send someone a card just because?

Install Momentum, a browser app to help you focus. I love Momentum's minimalist layout and beautiful, breathtaking photos! I install lots of productivity apps, but this one might be my all-time favorite.

Buy yourself flowers. They brighten up a room instantly, and hey -- you're worth it!

Leave a Yelp review for your favorite local business. If you've ever used Yelp to decide where to get your hair cut or find a new restaurant, you know how crucial reviews can be! Show a little love for your favorite small business and leave them a glowing review.

Make a conscious effort to be spontaneous! As a meticulous planner and introvert, I sometimes turn down impromptu events that sound fun because I'm just not feeling it. Whenever I go, though, I find it's almost always the better choice. I want to bring that spontaneity into my daily life, and I encourage you to do the same!

What's your must-do for May?

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