I can't believe it's already February! Looking back at January, this new year in particular has felt like a real renewal for me. There's been a lot of healing already and a lot of movement through things. It really feels like a new era. (And for those of you holding me accountable: my goals--not resolutions!--of drinking more water and sleeping better are going well, thank you!)

I've just finished up a big move from a house I've had for 25 years. It's been a long, emotional process, packing up and going through all my archives. My daughter Grier was born in that house! But like so many things, it's a new beginning, and along with three or four different projects that all feel like they're moving in the right direction, it's a very exciting time.

But now I'm ready to hit the ground running on February. We've got so much in store for you. It's Black History Month, and we're so happy to celebrate some amazing Black women in our community and share their stories. As our friends, we look up to them all the time for their incredible careers and personalities, but this month we're excited to create a space for them to celebrate their experiences as Black women specifically--their traditions, their cultures, their journeys, their joy. I'm so excited for you to get to know them better.

This month is also really dominated by Valentine's Day messaging in the media, but at Beginning is Now we want to open up the focus onto all kinds of relationships, not just romantic ones. (And let's not forget the relationship we have with ourselves--that's the most important one!) Valentine's Day has always felt a bit like New Year's for me--too much pressure. Even back in high school, I remember we all worried about whether we were going to get the red rose from the boys we liked or the white one...which stood for friendship and was a great disappointment. 

This time around, I want to recognize the value of all the relationships in my life: my husband, yes, but also my kids and friends, new and old. Recently I've started calling people that I used to be close with but haven't spoken to in a long time just to say, hi, you popped into my mind. I called the showrunner of Suddenly Susan and we were on the phone for 40 minutes! That moment of reconnecting was so special and really emotional for both of us.

So, here's to more of those moments, more learning, more growing, and more new beginnings for us all.

xo, Brooke