The second month of 2026 put the challenge into “dancing through difficulty,” but I managed to celebrate love and educate about Eating Disorders while sampling this winter’s nasty viruses. Koeln Karnival carried on and I do love this city, as well as Black History Month and Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
Still did a bit of teaching and creating (and quite a bit of reading in bed), but getting sick put a serious crimp in my style!
February Flu
Have thankfully been more well since, but have a bit less to say about February than I typically do, due to being down with a variety of nasties:
- For Lunar / Chinese New Year of the Fire Horse I didn’t get to attend any in-person events, but enjoyed seeing folks celebrate online
- Koeln Karneval I thankfully got to attend a show/Sitzung early with the Schnittchen and watched the big Rosenmontag parade on livestream, but missed out on ladies’ night Weiberfastnacht and the smaller neighborhood parades that I normally enjoy attending in costume. At least Ela was able to collect candy and goodies from a couple such for me to enjoy.
- National Eating Disorders Awareness Week was February 23 – March 1 and I participated as a collaborator once again, sharing posts and resources in my teaching and coaching activities.
- We were in the thick of preparing for Tanzschule Tanzraum’s production of “The Nutcracker” ballet, to go up in late March with over 100 student performers
- Also bought plane tickets for this spring’s visit home…
Bullet Journaling & Planning
The above YouTube Video is a flip-through of the month in my Seasonal Book including goals, glows, media favorites, and events I recorded along the way.
I shared my initial setup on Instagram here: “Love is in the air…and in my February Bullet Journal spreads!” With tons of cheesy hearts and bows, stickers and stamps.
Continued to set up my 2026 Annual Collections, created March spreads and schemed about Quarter 1 themes and events.
Teaching & Coaching
Regular Mindful Movement classes in Balletlicious Ballet Barre+ and Yummy Gentle Yoga continued throughout and studio classes in Ballet resumed after a winter break.
Writing & Publishing Articles
I published 2 articles in February, being taken out by sickness, but trying to stay in the writing game:
- Twenty 26s in 2026: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style This is a tour of my Annual Collections Book for 2026 so far, including my Twenty 26s in 2026 projects, creative challenges planned, notes and memories along the way. Loosely arranged according to my 8 major focus areas; Read, Write, Create, Practice, Serve, Connect, Sustain, and Adventure; in this way I get a somewhat holistic picture of my intentions and goals for the year. I focus on actions I can take, then see what results occur. Then I reflect, recommit or change direction, and carry on creating!
- Every BODY Belongs – Eating Disorder Awareness Week Statement of Hope -NEDAW 2026 Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) is an annual campaign to educate the public about the realities of eating disorders and to provide hope and visibility to individuals and loved ones impacted by eating disorders. In 2026 I participated as a collaborator for the 4th time, shared a message of hope, statistics, and resources.
Filming & Sharing Videos
I published 4 videos to the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel in February on the topics of dance, creativity, and joyful living:
- 2026 Annual Book Set Up – Twenty 26s & Creative BuJo Project Collections Migration video is the setup of my Annual Collections Book for 2026 so far, including my Twenty 26s in 2026 and creative challenges, a place to record actions taken in each of these areas, as well as a place to organize longer-term planning, goals, brainstorming
- Completed 2025 Annual Book Flip – Creative BuJo Collections – tracking actions, results & memories video is a flip-through of my completed Annual Collections Book for 2025, including my “Twenty 25s in 2025,” creative projects and challenges, wins and losses, notes and synchronicity along the way.
- January Flip & Faves – Review, Reflect, Refresh – Creative Bullet Journal of a Teaching Artist video The first month of 2026 was absolutely packed, with a bit of restful reflection at the start and then a full-tilt boogie back into teaching and creating, plus more snowy wintery weather than I have yet to see in Cologne!
- Every BODY Belongs – A Blythe Coach’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week Message of Hope 2026 – NEDAW video Proud to have been a collaborator on National Eating Disorders Awareness Week for my 4th year, as this physical and mental health issue is dear to my heart. Unfortunately, I have witnessed bias, unhealthy relationships with food, eating, and body, judgmental and negative comments by others about themselves, others they see. Our society is sadly fatphobic and riddled with impossible ideals and toxic behaviors. These are deeply felt and intensified in the high-pressure world of classical ballet and the performing arts. However, there is hope! If you have or are recovering from an eating disorder, or know someone who is, with support and resources, it is possible to heal, to recover, to reinvent our relationship with our bodies, food and eating at any age!
Connecting: Email & Social Media
Email Newsletter
The best way to keep up-to-date on everything I’m coaching, teaching, creating and sharing about as well as work from others that I believe to be of value for fellow creatives is to subscribe to my email newsletter.
I sent one Email Newsletter in February, “Love, embracing the Winter Blues, migrating into a New Year, Karneval heralds coming spring.”
Socials
In February I also posted 11 times to Instagram, over once per week. It is my honor to be connected to you there, here, online and in-person!
Creative Challenges
In February my creative “challenges” included collaborating on Eating Disorders Awareness Week and planning to contribute to International Women’s Day events in March, continued creating curricula for my in-person and online classes, as well as video filming and editing and writing.
Twenty 26s in 2026
Inspired by Jess/JashiiCorrin on YouTube), this creative challenge is a playful way to track various leading metrics, projects and activities I wish to keep an eye on.
Having found such a structure useful since 2023, I continued to choose and measure progress on projects in a similar way each year since, and in January I was still choosing my focus areas, even as I took my first action steps toward my annual priorities (I would publish my Twenty 26s in 2026: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style article in early February).
Media Musings
My February in reading, listening, and viewing pleasures:
Books & Reading
Books
I completed 4 novels in February:
- I read my first book by Rosamunde Pilcher, Winter Solstice and was enchanted
- The Guncle by Steven Rowley, followed by The Guncle, Abroad brought some lightness to my sickbed, though they deal in serious themes as well, the humor keeps us going
- Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry is a romantic comedy of self-discovery
Poetry
- My 2026 daily anthology is Everyday Shakespeare: Lines for Life compiled by Ben Crystal and David Crystal
Listening Highlights
Favorite things heard over the course of the month go here, such as concerts, songs, pieces of music, playlists, podcasts and more.
Music
Playlists & Albums
- The “Romeo & Juliet” Ballet Balcony Pas de Deux and Juliet’s variation from The Royal Ballet are swoonworthy, and adaptations of Prokofiev’s score like this one, Ballet Class with Romeo and Juliet by Angela Yoffe, provide romantic accompaniment to technique classes
- Köln Karneval Kamelle Playlist on YouTube still gave me some revelrous spirit despite my poor health that month
- Galentines, Palentines & Self-Love playlist on YouTube features themes of personal acceptance and empowerment, friendship and love felt in a variety of relationships that are not necessarily romantic but fit the February mood.
- Balletlicious Barre+ Dance playlist on YouTube contains all my jams for early year and anytime
- 2026 Plucky Tunes playlist on YouTube is a new one to collect all the best new tracks and melodies that come up over the course of the year
Songs & Pieces of Music
- Melissa Czarnik, one of my favorite conscious rappers, released “Garden of Eve“
- Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Minneapolis“
Viewing Highlights
Sports
- Bad Bunny’s Superbowl 60 Halftime Show moved me to dance and to tears with messages of culture, community, self-love, passionate dancing and music, particularly enjoyed hearing stories of inclusivity/equity, such as Super Bowl field cast and delighted Gays watching the halftime show
- Oh yeah, and the game itself pleased my formerly-fairly-avid-Seahawks-fan self
Series
Series streamed:
- “The Sex Lives of College Girls” series from Mindy Kaling is comedic, but has more depth than at first appears
- The FINAL season, number 10, of the “Queer Eye” series takes place in Washington, DC and gave me so much hope at the start as well as at the teary end
- Just started the “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” series
- Ela got me into the “1883” miniseries series that takes place on the Oregon Trail, whoa just as intense as I had imagined it might be
- The NEW “The Muppet Show” lightened my mood in the midst of my first illness of the year, will have to adjust to Kermit’s new voice but still hope they make more
YouTube Videos & Channels
- The “Romeo & Juliet” Ballet Balcony Pas de Deux and Juliet’s variation from The Royal Ballet are swoonworthy
Questions for Reflection
- What do you love?
- Do you choose a Word of the Year?
- Which media support your goals and mental health, which not?
- What are you making?
- How’s your 2026 rolling so far?
Resources for Further Exploration
- Float in 2025 – Word / Intention of the Year Article
- Twenty 25s in 2025: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style Article
- Quantum Leaping into 2024 Word of the Year Article
- Twenty-Four 24s in 2024 Article
- To-Enjoy List for Quarter 4 2024 Article
- Say the Magic Words Article
- Analog Journals for Creativity Article
Explorations in dance, coaching, and creative living continue!
Thank you for reading, for being, and for dancing with me, in spirit or in fact.
Take care of yourself and keep moving mindfully, let me know how if I can be of service, would love to see you in my email newsletter or on social media as well.
Blythe Stephens, MFA & Bliss Catalyst they/she
Creator of A Blythe Coach @ablythecoach
dancing through difficulty
taking leaps of faith