Spending February: A To-Do List for Adventuring Through the Month.

There are two types of people in February: Those who acknowledge that Valentine's Day is a date on the calendar in February, and those who try their best to make the entire month about Valentine's Day. Clearly, I am the latter. 

There are 29 days this month! I hope you spend them well. As always, I have some suggestions for how to do that. 

1. Take a look at your New Years goals. It's been a month...how are you doing?

2. Make chocolate covered strawberries. 

3. Sit down with your planner and calendar and get organized. Just because it didn't happen in January doesn't mean the whole year is a wash!

4. Buy yourself flowers. 

5. Go through your closet. The stores are starting to fill up with spring clothes, but before you spend any money, go through what you already have. You never know what forgotten treasures you'll find hidden in the back of your closet!

6. Go check out the dollar spot at Target, filled with pink V-day goodness.

7. Distance yourself from your phone. You should be able to set your phone down (or even better, turn it off) for a few minutes or hours without it ruining your day. Especially if you're spending time with other people. 

8. Make Valentine's crafts. 

9. Get outside! Chances are, you spent most of January indoors, so treat yourself to some fresh air. 

10. Celebrate Valentine's Day at home. 

11. Find an at-home workout you love. 

12. Mail some Valentine's cards. 

13. Wish your lady friends a happy Galentine's Day. 

14. Celebrate Valentine's Day! Make it an all-day affair!

15. Clean out your bathroom drawers. Throw away the lipgloss you bought four years ago and are saving just in case you ever get tan enough to be able to pull off that shade of pink. 

16. Write your significant other a love letter. The cheesier, the better. 

17. Go through your emails and unsubscribe from all of the lists you mysteriously ended up on. 

18. Surprise someone with chocolates. 

19. Start thinking about who you might be voting for in November. 

20. Make an effort to smile at everyone you come in contact with for a whole day. 

21. Go the month without buying coffee outside of your house. Learn to make a really good cup at home, it's life-changing.

22. Spend some time thinking about what's really important to you. Being at home with Jack for the past two weeks has taught me that life is short, but we also do get so much time...we just have to decide how to spend it. So think about the most important things to you, and make sure the way you're spending your time reflects that. 

23. Laugh more. Lose the self-imposed pressure to be serious all the time. 

24. Think about your words. They're important and should be treated like they are. A good rule to use when you're not sure if you should speak up is to ask yourself: Does this need to be said? Does this need to be said by me? Does this need to be said by me right now? 

25. Make a workout playlist. 

26. Throw away your mugs. Do you find yourself reaching for the same few mugs every morning, but keeping 20 others "just in case you need them?" Toss 'em.

27. Re-watch the pilot (or finale!) of your favorite show.

28. Throw a "favorite things" party. Like Oprah, but better. PS: this would be a really fun date night. 

29. Spend your extra day! We have an extra day we won't get again for four years...spend it doing something fun!

How will you be spending your February?