Calendar
Planning the fairy plot in style!
I love calendars.
Specifically, monthly calendars.
Whether it’s a giant wall fixture, at the front pages of an A5 journal, on my smartphone/computer, or just hand drawn in the pages of my diary—there’s something about that snapshot of time that is freeing.
A weekly calendar makes me feel stuck, and, at times, a daily planner brings on a nitpicking type of anxiety.
But a monthly calendar tells me: “Hey, you have space and time. So breathe. Make mistakes. Be yourself.”
In recent months, I’ve struggled with planning for future fairy activities (“the fairy plot”) in a way that feels grounding. I used a monthly calendar—sort of—but I didn’t commit to it. Instead, it stayed far away in a notion template that I barely remembered to reference. So things felt a little aimless.
The fairy plot has been, dare I say, missing.
So, I ask myself: How can I take my love of the monthly calendar and combine it with that desired sense of groundedness I need to move forward?
That’s what this fairy floss essay will be about. Some of the ways I’m going to make that happen. Hopefully some of these ideas will help you in feeling grounded and purposeful throughout the year, as you plan that magical life of yours.
I’ll be trying them ALL! Here goes:
TANGIBLE VISIBILITY
This is a mouthful, and I had to do a web search, to make sure I was using it accurately—I believe I am!
It means when something feels very real and present; When there’s too much evidence to deny its existence.
So, in my case, if I can see and feel my calendar as a physical, more concrete object that I can easily shape and form into what I want it to be (whenever I want), then it becomes more relevant. It becomes easy to use and reliable.
Grounding me in the way I need.
Long story short: I’m using a physical calendar this month.
I need to be able to reach for my calendar quickly and easily. Not hunt for it inside a template on my powered-down-for-the-night computer, that’s sat on my desk across the room from me. You know?
I loveeee digital monthly calendars (Notion girlie 4eva!) but there’s something so PEACEFUL about the physical.
I’m already ON it, and it feels right!
You can try a wall, desk, or journal calendar as well. See if the act of physically planning with your bare hands, a pen, and some colored paper, makes a difference.
The verdict: so far, so good!
ONE HABIT
“one habit at a time,” this fairy says, “It won’t cost you a dime!”
In January, in the fair floss essay “Here",” I mentioned that I would build healthy habits this 2025. Habits that make my body happy and that are good for my heart and soul.
However, I noticed that as the months slid on by, that I was scrambling to get them into my routine, all at once. And I was floundering. Like a fish in the sand.
It was stressful and kinda hilarious.
(TMI: I remember anxiously searching if “One habit at a time” was a bad thing, LOL. I’m grateful for the validation on reddit threads and in blog articles. Also, can google just turn off their generated overview thingie already?! The way it stresses me out.)
A habit is supposed to become second nature. But trying to make 3+ things second nature, at the same time, is a recipe for frustration. If you feel the same way, fellow magical girl, please join me in curating one habit at a time.
This month, I’ll be focusing on one singular daily habit.
Of course, It can be weekly or however many times you want to achieve it. But just ONE. For instance, if you have goals like: Journal daily, exercise daily, and practice Korean daily. I say, choose one for the month and focus on that.
This doesnt mean that you won’t get to build ALL the habits, it just means that you’ll intentionally build them one at a time. That you’re not beholden to a rigid schedule packed full of multiple obnoxious looking check boxes.
One at a time will help you enjoy the process, and affect change in your life in a doable way.
May 2025 = One habit.
Let me know how it goes. I’m right there with you!
SHORT & SWEET DEADLINES
I’ve never been good at meeting long deadlines.
The longer the deadlines, the more procastination is involved.
And when I see all these little dots on my calendar telling me that I have to work on a single project every other day for the whole month—my motivation shrivels up like a squished prune in the summer heat.
Very gross, very no-thank-you.
So I’ve decided to apply “Short & Sweet” to my deadlines. I’m sticking to a project being done in a set number of days. I’m focusing on scheduled moments of delivery i.e. On the 12th this happens and it’s done. From the 1st-3rd this happens and it’s done.
No more deadlines that I can easily dodge and drag on forever. No more projects so long that they begin to lose all meaning. Short and sweet!
And if a project is looking humongous, let’s wilt it down to its most relevant form, execute that ish, and be D.O.N.E.
Plus, there’s so much fun to be had! I can’t be sitting on a month-long never-ending nonsense. Bye, lol!
Completion. Completion is my new mode of operandi.
Because progress can easily be snatched away by procrastination and perfectionism disguised as long deadlines. And I’m not doing that anymore. So in summary: shorter deadlines and scheduled-doable projects!
SMILEY FACE DAYS
“…There’s so much fun to be had!”
I so stand by that quote I made earlier.
I love to have fun.
So even though there’s some structure to this new short and sweet monthly planning, I know I need flexibility.
I need FUN.
Fun is the fairy way.
Fun is the whimsy fabric of my favorite magical dress, fluttering in the wind as I fly through the golden, fluffy cloud-filled skies of Fairyland.
Sigh, fuuuuun. What a word, what a feeling!
Teehee!
You get it. This fairy needs time to play and craft and relax and try new things her way! I’ve decided that in the fairy plot of this month—penciling in fun is a must.
I call it having “smiley face days” on my calendar.
Days to do anyting for yourself that makes you happy.
It might help to create a mental list of things that you easily enjoy, and choose from them. For me, I’m making that list EXTRA SHORT and ABSTRACT so it feels free.
Like: craft, dance, or chill.
Entirely up to my interpretation, which I love. Yayyy~.
IN CONCLUSION
I want to be more aware of my needs and more excited about my projects. I also want to enjoy the direction of (and the intentionality behind) my goals without feeling stuck, or falling prey to procrastination and perfectionism.
May you and I’s calendars reflect the lives we truly want to live. May we always find a way back to our dreams and purpose for living.
Whatever that may be.
Stay fly, magical girl. All will work out.
It always does.
So, keep on keeping on! <3
xx
Anastasia
