The third month of 2026 for me featured collaborating on International Women’s Day, a production of “The Nutcracker” ballet, Easter and the Spring Equinox among the bright green leaves and first butterfly appearances.
Toy Soldier March
In the month of March:
- International Women’s Day March 8 & Women’s History Month
- Anti-Racism Day during which Cologne marched
- Working on immunity, nutrition, sleep, mask use after being sick several times in a row 😷
- Tanzschule Tanzraum’s production of “Der Nussknacker Ballett” “Nutcracker is coming to Cologne” IG of “The Nutcracker” ballet, to go up in late March with over 100 student performers
- Spring Equinox, “spring forward” time change to Central European Summer Time, and my first butterfly sightings of the year
- Art installation at Atelier Zoozmann
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: “March is here, bringing spring, time changes, flowers and much dancing!“
Continued to work in my 2026 Annual Collections, created April and May spreads to cover time planned in Cologne and Hawai’i, schemed about spring/Quarter 2.
Teaching & Coaching
Gave regular Mindful Movement classes in Balletlicious Ballet Barre+ and Yummy Gentle Yoga online, studio classes in Ballet, and Well-Being elective courses.
Writing & Publishing Articles
I published 2 articles in March, bringing my Quarter 1 total to 8:
- Empower International Women’s Day & Women’s History Month with A Blythe Coach article includes the theme for 2026 and how I participated this year as well as helpful links for any time.
- Floating Through 2025 – Reflecting on a Year’s Soaring Times & Storms article summarizes the previous year in my life, highs, lows, professional, personal.
Filming & Sharing Videos
I published 4 videos to the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel in March, bringing my Quarter 1 total to 12:
- Small Space Juliet Variation pt.1 – ballet solo draft – no instruction, online students’ reference video: Let’s feel Juliet’s joy, adapted for online intermediate ballet learners dancing in small spaces at home, demonstrated from the back for practice purposes. Segment one, right side only, then repeat. The extract is from “Romeo and Juliet,” part one of Juliet’s variation danced to Prokofiev’s score. Hope my students have fun reviewing the material, and others get a little taste of how we dance together on Zoom from home or anywhere in the world.
- Small Space Juliet Variation pt.2 – ballet solo draft – no instruction, online students’ reference video: This online class extract is from the “Romeo and Juliet” ballet, part two of Juliet’s variation where we dance the first part on both right and left sides.
- February Flip & Faves video: The second month of 2026 put the challenge into “dancing through difficulty,” but I managed to celebrate love and educate about Eating Disorders while catching this winter’s nasty viruses. Koeln Karnival carried on. This is a flip-through of the month in my Seasonal Bullet Journal Book, media I published & personally consumed, high & lowlights and special events, favorites books read, music heard, dance, theatre, film, and series viewed.
- My Analog Recipe Box – Easy Creative Dancer Food – Cooking & Baking – Family, Friends, Savoring Life video: The analog trend is going strong and I love to eat, so I thought I’d share a peek inside how I store my favorite recipes! Though I utilize a mix of digital and analog tools in my creative process, certain things I just love interacting with best in hard copy. Thus, my Recipe Box is modeled off my Mom’s and my Tutu’s (Grandma), with large index cards and handwritten as well as typewritten entries, and dividers for breads, salads and sauces, soups, entrees/mains, desserts, and beverages. Distilling which simple recipes are my favorite, organizing and decorating them, and using them to make delicious meals and treats all are a part of my system. Over time I have learned that I’m more likely to make a dish when it uses a minimum of ingredients, bowls/pots/pans, and time, so my most-loved recipes reflect that. As my Ballet mentor Virginia Holte loves to say: “Dancer food!”
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 March, “Happy International Women’s Day & History Month! Seasonal transformation, spring fever, time changes,” bringing my Quarter 1 total to 3.
Socials
In March I also posted 6 times to Instagram, for a Quarter 1 total of 19. It is my honor to be connected to you there, here, online and in-person!
March Synchronicities
In March, magic was afoot, including delightful random connections and synchronistic events:
- I crafted two keys as props for Drosselmeier’s mechanical dolls in “The Nutcracker” ballet, then saw them depicted on the Hierophant Tarot card pulled on the Spring Equinox 🔑
- Earthworm appeared in the book _Mistakes Were Made_ and on the sidewalk by the school where I teach elective classes as I rode my scooter and listened to the audiobook🪱
Creative Challenges
In March my creative “challenges” included contributing to International Women’s Day events and putting on “The Nutcracker” ballet, as well as creating curricula for my in-person and online classes, video filming, 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, publishing my Twenty 26s in 2026: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style article in early February this year.
Quarter One Twenty 26s Update
In Quarter 1, I reached a minimum of 26 of the following 8/20 focus areas:
- Yoga Practice Sessions
- Meditation Sessions
- Gratitude & Abundance Appreciation
- German Language Learning Practice Sessions
- Collections/Projects/Bullet Journal Spreads set up
- Daily “Captain’s Logs”
- Morning Pages Written
- Classes Taught
Will be back with more updates next quarter and along the way…
Media Musings
My March in reading, listening, and viewing pleasures:
Books & Reading
Books
In March I completed 2 novels by Meryl Wilsner, a new to me author of spicy queer romances. This brought my Quarter 1 total to 8:
- My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner and also enjoyed this Lesbrary review of the Dual POV queer very spicy romance. I identified with one of the main characters being nonbinary, but them being in their 20s also felt very young and a bit far removed to me.
- Mistakes Were Made, has an age gap, but at least the older person’s phase of life I found more relatable. As the title implies, they are imperfect humans, but overall I find Wilsner’s writing charming at the same time as believable and erotic.
Poetry
- My 2026 daily anthology is Everyday Shakespeare: Lines for Life compiled by Ben Crystal and David Crystal continues to inspire
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
Songs & Pieces of Music
- “Midnight Sun” by Zara Larsson was my earworm of the month, the quarter, and shaping up to be for the year!
- “JUMP” by BLACKPINK is also shaping up to be a classic
Playlists & Albums
- Balletlicious Barre+ Dance playlist on YouTube contains all my jams for early year and anytime
- Spring Sensations Dance on YouTube then came on the scene again post-Equinox and I am so here for it
- International Women’s Day Dance on YouTube I created for last year’s celebration, but enjoyed again this time around
- Fly on the Wind – Airy Mood Music on YouTube fits when the winds of change blow
- 2026 Plucky Tunes playlist on YouTube is a new one to collect all the best new tracks and classic melodies that come up over the course of the year
Viewing Highlights
Art
Saw one beautiful and inspiring gallery opening at Atelier Zoozmann and got excited for Yayoi Kusama’s exhibition in Cologne later this spring.
Sport
Film
- “Good Fortune” film which I found funny and timely
- “Wake Up Dead Man” film a Knives Out mystery
- “Moana 2” film, my personal highlight was the dancing bats, was hoping to listen to Olelo Hawai’i, but it is titled “Vaiana” here and they only had English and Maori languages available.
- “Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere” Documentary illuminated a side of the internet that I have never before experienced
Series
Streamed:
- “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” Irish comedy thriller series is a wild ride
- “Star Trek: Next Generation” I’m turning into a trekkie and am already glad there are so many episodes of this series ahead to enjoy
- Speaking of which, When did “Star Trek” become too woke? (IG)
Questions for Reflection
- How did your Quarter 1 and first half of the year take shape?
- What projects are your passion this quarter?
- What highlights, lowlights, and lessons have you experienced?
- What will you enjoy before the end of the year?
- To what shall I listen next?
Resources for Further Exploration
- Pluck Luck in 2026 – Word / Intention of the Year Article
- Twenty 26s in 2026: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style Article
- 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