January, Noticed: A Month in Small Measures
This January I experimented with tracking—not everything, just enough to see patterns. The goal wasn’t improvement. It was attention.
Weather came first.
I took temperatures four times a day, most days. Mornings were the coldest, dipping as low as the mid-teens, while afternoons occasionally surprised me by brushing forty degrees. Evenings cooled quickly again. What stood out wasn’t the extremes, but the rhythm: winter has a pulse, and it repeats whether I’m watching or not.
Health was uneven, but honest.
I logged exercise on some days, water on fewer, digestion support on more. Pain showed up too—my hip more than my shoulder—and that mattered. The data didn’t shame me; it explained me. It reminded me that health is shaped as much by limits as by intentions.
Hobbies carried more weight than I expected.
I read often, wrote regularly, and picked up my camera enough times to know creativity wasn’t absent—it was active. Some hobbies rested entirely this month. That didn’t feel like failure. It felt seasonal.
Money told a clear story.
Most of my income went to essentials: food, utilities, healthcare. Very little went to extras. Seeing it laid out didn’t spark anxiety—it brought clarity. My spending reflects necessity, not neglect.
And finally, self-credit.
Out of thirty-one days, I only formally marked things down ten times. Still, I showed up every day. Tracking isn’t proof of effort; living is.
January didn’t ask me to optimize. It asked me to notice.
So I did.
Chat gpt help me write this.
Coffee is on
Wow! This is a great post. I admire you for tracking all of this every day. I do love that your creativity is quite active. You are not a failure in any way. I have seen your art, visited you AI gallery and every piece is thoughtful and well observed. Have a very nice day today.
ReplyDeleteI can tell this isn't your writing. And that is quite acceptable.
ReplyDeleteYou noticed
ReplyDelete...Dora, you sure are more organized than I am!
ReplyDeletegood
ReplyDeleteI am not that organized.
ReplyDeleteWell done for tracking all of this every day.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I don't think I would ever be bothered with tracking myself, I'm too lazy to even think of such a thing.
ReplyDeleteExcellent tracking, it does make you take notice!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting what you chose to track.
ReplyDeleteI hate to track...used to track what I ate, but not any more. I just eat until I am comfortably stuffed. I exercise daily, just a part of my life, so no need to track.
ReplyDeleteTracking is important to stay on course.
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting. You remind me I should do a better job of tracking my time, though I do much better at tracking expenses than I used to!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting and detailed look back at January. I've never tried doing anything like this, but I suspect I might be surprised by the results!
ReplyDeleteI admire your attention to detail. I often get to the end of the month and think what have I done.
ReplyDeleteMy Apple Watch seems to keep track. It took me I’ve been more active on average the last five weeks than the previous year.
I felt good. This year things are looking up health wise.
Fingers crossed
I've not tried a tracking app before, but it would be interesting to see my months detailed like that.
ReplyDelete