How will you do January?
This year, I'm making a concerted effort to use January as a time to commit to dreaming and planning. Here's how:
I'm using the "Self Journal" which is a productivity and goal setting tool that focuses on JUST the next 13 weeks. They also have specific journals for budgeting, relationship development, overcoming burnout, etc.
Side note: I got the the orange one because I’ve been leaning into the color orange ever since my book came out. On the cover, it has an orange font and an orange side bar. I never would’ve thought to use orange and it’s not my favorite color. But my publishers really liked it so here we are. Since then, I’ve decided to embrace orange!
I’m planning one feel-good thing per month for January, February and March to stave off the winter doldrums. Here’s what I’m thinking so far:
I’m already traveling to London in January for Design Destination London, and I’ll be sharing what I see and do there when I get back.
Then in either February or March, I want to host a high tea. I’m a big fan of this British tradition, especially in the grey days of winter. When you do a high tea you…
have an excuse to use all of your nicest china. I have collected single vintage or beautifully made tea cups and saucers as well as serving plates, so my table is a mish-mash of patterns, just the way I like it.
eat decadent food. But it’s in small bites so that the calories don’t count.
make interesting tea-infused cocktails to have after the normal pot of tea gets cold.
So that leaves one more feel-good thing to come up with over the next 3 months.
And finally, I’m using January for writing, writing and writing. I'm writing out my thoughts on what went well and what didn't in 2024. I never do this kind of year-in-review even though I know it’s part of every business strategy I’ve ever read about.
I'm writing out a revised structure for the podcast in 2026 that more closely aligns with my book.
I’m writing out ideas for a new project: A live monthly design series/Q&A session. The first part of every session will be a presentation I’ll do on one aspect of design. It could be something practical, like how to choose lighting for every part of your home. Or it could be on the history of iconic design styles. The second part of every session will be devoted to Q&A where you’ll be able to ask me any question at all about your home. You’ll be able to sign up for them individually. I’m still in the dreaming phase of this project so please hit reply and let me know if this is of interest to you! And if you have any thoughts to add, feel free!
And finally, I'm writing more because that's what I want to keep bringing into my life in a bigger way. (And yes, this is a hint: I'd love to write a 2nd book! (But I gotta sell more of the first book before I'll get another contract).
{ Side note: I found inspiration for getting into the right mindset for my January dreaming and planning from a beautiful magazine called Table. I was lucky enough to meet Kim from their publishing team at my book event in Santa Fe. The magazine is primarily about food, but they see it in a very holistic way, touching many aspects of our lives, including our homes. If you’re a design enthusiast who is also a bit of a foodie, I highly recommend you add it to your subscription list.}
So…What does all of this have to do with design?
At the most basic level, the place we all tend to do this kind of deep thinking and soul searching is in the privacy of our own homes.
So before I started any of the above, I decluttered my office, hung some new things on the wall and burned a sage bundle that a friend gave me to purify the room and bring in those positive manifestation thoughts. (She has promised that this works).
And that is the overall message here. USE your home. Make it WORK for you. Create spaces within your rooms that respond to the seasons. January isn’t just a winter month. It’s the beginning of the season of REFLECTION.
Now on to YOU.
Here are some questions (and I seriously want you to answer them);
How are you spending your January and can you commit to making the most of it? Will you use it as month of deep reflection with the intention of changing what’s not working?
What do you think of the idea of planning one feel-good activity for each of the next three months? I hope you feel motivated to create things you can look forward to.
How can your home support any of the above experiences? Maybe you need to make room for a new hobby by getting rid of stuff. Maybe you need a new color palate somewhere because there's a room you're totally bored with. Maybe you get serious about buying a new painting for a particular spot in your home. Tying our life experiences (big or small) to how we decorate is what gives our spaces a layered, lived in quality that feels like home.
Fill this out.
Also, I want to share an additional resource I've created. Here’s a worksheet to help you connect your home to your goals for 2026. It’s all about making space for what you want to bring into your life and celebrating the parts of your home that are working for. The goal is make sure that all of the pieces of who you are (and want to become) are showing up in your home.
Cheers, Zandra