In case your seasonal allergies haven’t informed you yet, we are 17 days away from Spring. Instead of thinking of it like “biding my time,” which I absolutely do, I’m trying to find some enjoyment in the month. There’s excitement in looking over the seed catalog I was sent and planning my garden, and the daylight is stretching a bit later so I can walk my dog closer to dinner time. It reminds me a bit of the time between scans and treatment, to be honest. How can I make joy, even here? How can I make this fun, even now? I hope the following ideas give you some motivation to do the same.

There’s a phrase some friends and I use that I am positive is not unique to us: laugh to keep from crying. Ever made what you thought was a joke, and other people sort of cringe? That’s the mode I’m talking about. A pinch of dark humor, or a commitment to nonsensical humor, just because laughing beats… Well, whatever else I’m also feeling. I’m bringing you sunny, not heartfelt, suggestions this weekend. I am hoping they induce that laughter if you’ve had some nonsense going on lately (and honestly, who hasn’t?)

I’ve been examining a lot of my thoughts and behaviors lately, inspired by books and podcasts I’ve spent time consuming. The biggest question that I’ve come up with is: who made this rule for you? Why do you follow it? Gosh. What a big question. And the answer is equally big: I don’t know, it’s just something I thought adults did. I just thought that adults meal planned. I assumed adults didn’t rest unless everything on their to do list was done. I grew up seeing homes that looked a certain way, and though that’s not something I care about particularly, it’s what I did.

Is it February yet? My two least favorite months, in order, are 1. April and 2. The second half of January. Maybe it’s the rain talking for me, or the fact that I don’t want to take down my Christmas tree because I’m feeling especially cottage core at the moment, but I’m feeling lost in time. Never fear: I found a few ways this week to mark, nay, enjoy the passage of time.

It’s a long weekend for many here in the United States. Whether that means that you have off from work, or simply don’t get the mail delivered that day, I encourage you to think about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s words are just as relevant now as they were then, because the same injustices run rampant in our society in 2023 as they did in the 1960s.

Happy New Year, my beautiful friends. You made it; it’s 2023. You may be feeling more “new year, new deductible” than everyone’s favorite “new year, new me.” Fear not, I am not here to encourage you to be someone new. You’re already great! Instead, I have suggestions for easy pasta upgrades, a great movie that’s now streaming, and attainable goals.