January| Monthly Review 2026

January Monthly Review — A Gentle Warm-Up to the Year

Now that the first month of the year is finally behind me, this monthly review feels less like a performance report and more like a warm-up stretch. January wasn’t about sprinting toward big wins, it was about easing into effort, intentionality, and the kind of inner reflection I’ll need to achieve my goals this year.

In many ways, January gave me exactly what it needed to: space to breathe, recalibrate, and begin again. SLOWLY.

One of the biggest realizations during this monthly review came when I finally accepted that I would need to postpone my research visit until later in the year. Letting go of that original timeline unexpectedly brought a deep sense of calm.

Once I made peace with that decision, I could actually plan the year more realistically. Instead of feeling stuck or behind, things began to move forward again. This shift reminded me that progress isn’t always about pushing harder — sometimes it’s about choosing clarity over pressure.

Reality Check: A Busy, Chaotic Start

January started off busier and more chaotic than I anticipated. Between moving back and forth, a visa appointment, and a tooth extraction, the beginning of the month felt scattered and disruptive.

That said, this monthly review isn’t about listing disruptions as excuses. It’s about acknowledging reality. Once things settled, both logistically and mentally — I felt grounded again. With those decisions behind me, I’m genuinely excited about how smoothly the rest of the year could unfold.

I didn’t achieve a whole lot in terms of tangible outcomes, and surprisingly, I’m okay with that. What matters more is that I now know exactly where changes need to be made and what adjustments are required going forward.

Awareness, after all, is still progress.

Looking Ahead After This January Monthly Review

January felt like a warm-up lap… stretching things out, filling in the gaps, and easing myself into the year. And now, I finally feel ready to take on February with more confidence and intention.

January Review

Education

1. Completed 1 paper in readiness for publication ❌

Finances

1. Make 5K from side hustles ❌

Health

1. Improved my middle split depth ❌
2. Create a Calisthenics Program (Routines) ✅

Hobbies

1. Complete Udemy Calligraphy Course ❌
2. Learn to whine goals ❌
   1. Whine confidently to 1 tempos ❌
   2. Sustain a whine for 10–15 seconds without fatigue ❌
   3. Transition smoothly between: ❌
      1. slow whine ❌
      2. side-to-side hip movement ❌

Personal Development

1. Complete 2 Courses ✅
   1. Must-Have Skills for VAs (5h) ✅
   2. PouncerAI (parallel) ✅
2. Publish 4 blog articles ✅
3. Completed 1 CORE modules for my Wealth Dashboard ❌
   1. Authentication & User Profile ❌

Self Care

1. Complete 2 items off my 101 Challenge List ✅
   1. Make my will ❌
   2. Donate all unwanted clothes to charity ✅
2. Do 2 Alphabet Solo Dates ✅
3. Attend 1 Therapy sessions ✅
4. Learn face prep and practice 4 times ✅

Spirituality

1. Attend church 2 times ❌

January Monthly Reflection

What was the most memorable part of this past month? Describe it.

Meeting and talking to the receptionist at CA Doctors, she said I looked 19 and she had the most beautiful aura.

What were the three biggest lessons you’ve learned in this past month?

1. Ignorance is bless. – Its a good thing I did not know I was depressed for the past 3+ years.
2. I need to improve communication. I hate confrontations so much that avoiding them actually makes things worse sometimes.
3. I can do hard things. Two life times ago, there was nothing I couldn’t do. Now I am slowing teaching myself this lesson again.

Review your planner for the past month and assess your priorities. Are you happy with how you spent your time? If not, what steps can you take next month to adjust them?

• The first portion of the month so supper busy so I didn’t get a whole lot done. But once I submitted my visa application I was finally able to start getting work done and slowly tackling my other goals and tasks.
• Next month, the thing I want to work on the most is my screentime, so that means spending a lot of time reading and learning

What did you accomplish this past month? What are you most proud of?

1. Managed to submit my Study visa
2. Got my second wisdom tooth extracted
3. Figured out a portion on the ontology design that I might need for query and testing
4. Journaled every single day

How are you different between this past month and the month before it?

The major difference this month is that I am actually showing up for myself. This is through therapy, reading and also the podcasts I have been listening to.

What or who are you especially grateful for this past month?

• My therapist
• My family
• Bond coupon
• Valentine
• Uber driver who helped me with my bags
• Rasheed for an amazing day touring Cape Town
• Grateful that my Tuitions are paid for
• Wonderful gift of seeing the new year

Name three things you can improve on this upcoming month. What concrete actions can you take to work towards these improvements?

1. Starting my night routine early and not get fooled by the summer nights
2. Starting my hobbies, personal development goals as early as possible by breaking them down into manageable tasks
3. Exercising mindfulness

Here’s to a happy month ahead. Here’s to deciding, clearly and calmly, what the rest of the year is going to look like. Also check out my January Goals blog post.