October is here, and I’ve been thinking about how I want to spend it.
As I continue my 180 days to 60 journey, I keep coming back to the everyday choices that shape how I feel: taking care of myself, making time to learn, finishing something I’ve been putting off, and remembering to enjoy the life I’m working so hard to manage.
I want to reach the end of this month feeling more at peace, more present, and proud of the small promises I kept to myself.
So I put together an October planner around six simple ideas. I’ve made it a free gift for you, too, because you might be looking for a little direction as we move into a new month.
A little structure for the month ahead
There are always things competing for our attention. Work. Family. Appointments. The things we need to do and the things we keep meaning to do.
A month can fill up before we’ve stopped to ask what we want from it.
This planner idea was created as a place to pause, choose a few priorities, and bring them into our ordinary days. Here’s the plan I’m taking into October.
1. Notice where you are
The first step is an honest check-in with seven areas of life: health, money, career, relationships, peace of mind, fun, and personal growth.
Give each area a score from 1 to 10, based on how it feels to you right now. Then choose two areas that could use some attention.
The question is: What would moving this area up one point look like this month?
That makes the next step easier to see. Perhaps it’s booking an appointment, making time for someone you miss, or finally sitting down with the numbers you’ve been avoiding.
You get to decide what progress looks like in your own life.
2. Choose more of this and less of that
Write down three things you want more of in October and three things you want less of. Then give each one a practical action.
More peace might mean making room for five quiet minutes in the morning. More connection could mean reaching out to a friend and choosing a date to meet.
Less scrolling might mean leaving the phone across the room while you have your coffee. Less overcommitting could mean pausing before you say yes.
I like this exercise because it asks us to think about how we want our days to feel, as well as what we want to get done.
3. Practice one useful skill
Choose one skill to give your attention to this month.
It could be something creative, something that helps at work, or something you’ve wanted to learn simply because it interests you.
The planner suggests aiming for 30 minutes of practice a day, with a smaller version for busy days. Ten minutes still gives you a chance to keep going.
There’s space to decide what you want to be able to do by October 31 and to break the learning into weekly steps. Having something specific to work toward can make it easier to begin.
4. Give yourself a small morning win
Choose one manageable action to complete before 10 a.m.
For me, a few minutes of meditation feels like a meaningful place to start. I want to give myself a moment to breathe and settle before the day asks for my attention.
Your morning win might be stretching, reading, taking a short walk, or completing one focused task.
Choose something that fits your mornings. If the timing doesn’t work for your schedule, adjust it. The point is to make a little space for something you’ve chosen.
5. Finish one lingering task
You know those little tasks that keep popping into your head?
The package you need to return. The appointment you need to book. The email you haven’t answered. The subscription you keep meaning to cancel.
The plan is to choose one manageable task each day and move it forward. If it’s a bigger project, choose just the next step.
I included a page for these tasks so they have somewhere to go besides our already busy minds.
6. Plan something new to enjoy each week
This may be my favorite part.
Choose one small adventure each week: a different walking route, a solo coffee date, a class, a museum visit, or an afternoon exploring somewhere nearby.
It can be simple and inexpensive. There’s even space in the weekly pages to note the budget.
I want enjoyment to have a place on the calendar, too. It’s easy to keep postponing it until everything else is finished.
My free October planner: a gift for you
To help you put these ideas into practice, I’m sharing my October 2026 Planner as a free download.
Inside, you’ll find:
- A life check-in and space to choose two focus areas.
- A “more and less” exercise and an October intention.
- A dated monthly calendar.
- A plan for practicing one skill.
- A 31-day tracker for your skill practice, morning win, and completed task.
- A page for lingering tasks.
- Five dated weekly planning pages, with space for a small adventure and reflection.
- A month-end reflection to help you decide what to carry into November.
Download your free October 2026 Planner here
Print the pages you want to use, or write on the PDF in an annotation app. You can start with the life check-in, choose your two focus areas, and fill in the first week. The rest can take shape as you go.
Leave room for real life
A missed day doesn’t mean you have to abandon the month. Pick up where you are. Adjust what needs adjusting.
At the end of October, I want to look back with kindness and ask: What did I learn? What helped? What did I enjoy? What do I want to keep?
That’s the spirit behind Planning To Be Happy, and it’s what I hope this little gift brings into your month.
What’s one thing you want more of this October? I’d love to hear in the comments.
