I’m a big fan of the mantra “December is the new January.” Every December I encourage the women of See Jane Write to start setting and slaying their goals for the next year long before New Year’s Day.

But some years, February is the new January.

Some years you don’t get off to the great start you’d hoped for and you need to give yourself a do-over.

Some years you need a February fresh start.

For me, 2021 is one of those years. And that’s okay.

If you can relate, give yourself permission to begin again.

As George Eliot once said, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

Looking Back

Because my birthday is in February, it’s a month that always feels like a new beginning for me. But before I started setting goals and making plans for my February Fresh Start, I took a look back at what I did and didn’t accomplish in January.

I submitted my book manuscript to a publishing company I’m interested in working with, I got database issues with my website fixed, and I sent pitches to two of my dream publications. I signed on a new coaching client, had my first speaking engagement for the year, and I did a segment on Talk of Alabama to promote See Jane Write.

And I bought a new car!

So, you’re probably thinking, “Girl, why do you need a fresh start?! That was a helluva month!”

And I’m thinking — “Girl, you’re right.”

Sometimes we get so caught up in the things we didn’t accomplish that we forget to acknowledge what we did achieve. So, be sure to make a list of your January wins and have a solo dance party to celebrate.

However, even though I’m proud of all I accomplished in January, I dropped the ball with a few very important things. I’ve been slacking on journaling, praying, exercising, and building community on Instagram.

My February Goals

To set my February goals I asked myself three questions:

What healthful and helpful habits would I like to adopt or continue this year?

Are there January goals I didn’t achieve that I can tackle in February?

What can I do this month to help myself achieve my goals for the year?

I try not to set more than four goals each month and this month, I decided to set goals that will get me back on track with some of the things I let slip in January.

Here are my February goals:

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see how I’m doing with these goals and more!

What are your goals for February? What will you do to give yourself a fresh start this month?