It's no secret that I've been challenged by January. (Confused? Catch up here, then here.) So, in the spirit of resolution season, this month's Character Study is all of my new-year-out-of-the-rut-forward-motion favorites. 

(What's Character Study, you ask? Character Study is a collection of my monthly favorites, typically inspired by that's month's broken fashion rules. The previous Character Study posts are linked below!)

Let's get to it!

#1. The Passion Planner

Lately, the golden goose of time management is the bullet journal. I tried it. I watched the tutorials, set up my index, and drew little calendar boxes. In the end, it wasn't for me. Constantly creating the infrastructure of my planner was too time consuming, and it just became a mess. 

So, I did a bit of research, and I present you: The Passion Planner!

It splits each day into thirty minute increments, has separate personal and work to-do lists, and even a weekly column to list good things that happened. Also, at the top of each day there's a space to fill in that day's focus. Though I've only had this planner for a week, that bit of daily intention has really helped me.

I got mine on Amazon (check it out here!). I purchased the large size, but there is a more portable size available.

#2. The Little Black Book by otegha uwagba

This book has been making the rounds on other blogger's favorite lists lately, and for good reason. I appreciated that it's just what it says: a toolkit. There are no lengthy testimonials, no scientific studies, just concise, helpful, tips for creative women.

I particularly appreciated the section about creating a personal brand. As an actor, I'm the absolute worst at self-promotion - THE WORST. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable. The tips in the personal brand chapter were a much needed perspective change. I'm (mostly) looking forward to testing them out!

I have the Kindle edition - the printed version doesn't ship to the US until May. (I'm planning on getting a physical copy, too!)

#3. The Artist's Way by julia Cameron

I know this book looks very woo-woo-feelings-and-emotions.  In some ways, it is. It's also great. 

Essentially, The Artist's Way is a 12 week program for getting your creative mojo back. There are certainly "spiritual" parts, (if it that's not you, they're easily skipped), but on the whole, it's quite practical.

Personally, I often don't give myself enough time to work on my creative endeavors. This book is an exercise in remembering that creativity is fun, worthwhile, and beneficial. It certainly made my acting better. 

The Artist's Way was a recommendation from a friend (and fantastic actor) last year. Hopefully, this can become a pay-it-forward scenario, and someone else will benefit from it as much as we did!

Here's an Amazon link, if you're interested. :)

Honorable Mention: Portable Garment Steamer

About two months ago, I got myself a garment steamer. It's THE BEST.

I hate ironing, and too often I'll attempt dewrinkling my clothes in the dryer. The steamer is way faster and far more effective.  But, better than that, there's something really calming about watching wrinkles melt away. If your mornings would benefit from a zen moment, and you prefer your clothes wrinkle-free, it might be up your alley, too!

A Little Bit more...

I was perusing Youtube a few days ago, and spotted this video from Estée Lalonde. It seems that she, too, is in a rut. I found her tips about getting up and out of it really helpful. (And the Cheryl Strayed book she recommends is next on my reading list!)

And Finally...

What do you do to get out of a rut? I'm aiming to say yes to more new things in 2018, and I'd love to hear your tried and true tricks, suggestions, or just commiserate. :)

Happy Almost February! See you on Friday!