January Felt Like a Year, So Here’s What I’m Taking With Me

Well, wtf was that? January is finally over, and we can all take a deep breath. Here’s what kept me sane during the first month of the year.

It seems like every year, January feels like multiple months wrapped in one—and then the rest of the year flies by. I think we can all collectively agree that January 2025 was filled with tragedy, fear, and worry. I hope you were able to find moments of laughter and joy, but if you’re just grateful you made it through the month, then that’s ok, too. In times of uncertainty, I look to community and “old-fashioned” hobbies, like reading physical books and going to local coffee shops and bookstores, to feel like myself.

Maybe it’s unrelated, maybe it’s not—but here are some of the outfits I wore in January that made me happy.

I’m a glass-half-full type of person, so I think it’s important to document the good things in life. Hopefully, sharing my favorite moments of January will encourage you to capture more of your joyful moments as well.

So, here goes. Here are some of my favorite moments of January 2025.

Visit From a Friend

My friend Morgan, who is more like a sister to me since we’ve known each other since I was 5 and grew up in the same neighborhood, drove from Charlotte to Atlanta to visit us. Since Noka arrived, she has visited us over five times. Before last year, we would go years without seeing each other. It’s so beautiful to see someone you grew up with loving your baby like their own.

75 Soft

Doing 75 Soft has been such an enjoyable experience for me. It has pushed me to read more—I even finished a book in January, which puts me closer to reaching my goal of reading 12 books in 2025. Last year, because I was pregnant and had a baby, I fell off with reading. I’m happy that this challenge is guiding me back to my love of reading. I also love that I have been consistent with working out. I hate to say that my husband was right, but exercising consistently really does make you feel better. Also, drinking a gallon of water a day has my skin looking like it did when I was pregnant. (IYKYK). I’m currently on day 33, so this way of life has officially become a habit.

Working With My Team

If you don’t know, I am the founder of a social media agency. I started my agency in 2020 and hated it until last year. While pregnant, my team really showed up for me and the agency. It’s been amazing to see how passionate they are and how they motivated me to keep going with my business when I wanted to quit. I love my agency now, and I owe my change of heart to my team. It’s so fun getting on calls with them, strategizing, and creating alongside other beautiful, intelligent women.

Building a Substack Community

Substack has been a platform I’ve been wanting to be consistent on since January 2023, when I found out about it from fellow journalists while on a press trip. Fast forward to this past January—it felt like something finally clicked, and I became inspired to write for myself again. I’ve been sticking to my posting schedule of Tuesdays and Saturdays, and it honestly brings me so much joy every time someone new subscribes. It feels good to build community online in a more intentional, slow, and long format way.

Meeting Friends in Beautiful Spaces

This month, despite deadlines and being a mom and wife, I have carved out time to meet with friends. As a libra, being in beautiful spaces is a must to feed my creativity and boost my mood. I love exploring different locally-owned businesses in Atlanta with beautifully designed spaces. Some of my favorites in January are the Forth Hotel, Le Bon Nosh (a bit overpriced, but the aesthetics are unmatched), and Stereo.

My Daily Collagen Coffee Ritual

Every day Lebo makes me a cup of collagen coffee in my favorite mug, and it’s the best way to get my day started. He refers to our at-home coffee shop as Lebolatte Cafe, and I love hearing the sounds of our cafe opening in the morning. There’s something about the ritual of coffee that makes me feel like I can accomplish anything.

Those are some of my favorite moments from the last 31 days. If you have any of your favorite moments to share, I would love to know! We’re heading to a two-year-old’s birthday party today (Noka’s second birthday party he’s attending) and celebrating the Lunar New Year. I hope you all have a lovely, restful, and fun weekend.

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