Hello July!
HELLO JULY!!!
Reflecting every single month is not an easy task. It takes time and considerable effort, but it's so rewarding you feel a lot lighter going into the next month. It almost feels like a fresh start, which is exactly the vibes I want for July. To help me reflect, I usually read my posts from the previous months and then go through the days chronologically in my mind with the help of my photo gallery, because lowkey it would surprise you how much you forget unless there's a reminder there. And what's more surprising, we usually forget the happy moments.
In accordance with this monthly tradition, we'll begin by reflecting on the time that has passed and setting intentions for the month ahead.
In June I:
Celebrated my husband's birthday. (The way he appreciated my effort healed my soul in a way he will never understand. How many times have I poured this love into people and they treated it as an expectation, glancing over the love spent on effort and details. But not him.)
Interviewed and got a scholarship <3
Tried a new Korean restaurant, which is now a fav. Courtesy of my husband.
Went to a play.
Got flowers twice!
Attended a research workshop.
Learned to use two statistical programs (SPSS + R), lowkey full on data scientist.
Hosted a brunch for my girlfriends.
Kept up weekend traditions.
Worked out 4 times (not the ideal number I would want lol, but I will take my wins.)
Made serious progress in the 1000+ page classical novel I'm reading.
Got a new laptop!!!! (Reporting from it live)
Had 4 pool days.
Went on another staycation!!
Went to a Rashid concert <3
Had a great supervisory meeting. "You demonstrate rigorous and thorough understanding" ehem.
Overcame a medical hurdle.
Celebrated Father's Day.
Finished 2/13 trays of my Invisalign journey.
Celebrated the opening of two of my friends' businesses (SO PROUD).
Went to my work's annual dinner and introduced my partner to my coworkers.
Reflecting on June: I did so much and went through so much. This month is filled with so many memories, good and bad, but the goal is to experience things, right? To live fully, that I have done in June. I was also productive on the phd this month. The past couple of months I have felt healed from my burnout and wanted to live fully again, finding the balance between chasing my dreams/aspirations whilst pausing to enjoy life and savouring family/friends time, and somehow through it all, always checking in on me and making sure I have what I need. I feel like I did that well in June, and I want to keep it going. This is the version of myself that I like.
What I'm leaving in June:
Sadness.
Being harsh on myself.
Not practicing gratitude.
What I'm taking into July:
Keeping up the productivity on the phd front. It's not hard, it just needs consistency.
Making maximum use of my time.
Reaching out to the people I love, taking initiative.
Having full days.
Dressing up and spending time on my hair and nails.
Indulging in sleep and having good breakfasts.
Continuing to show up for myself.
What I want more of in July:
Moving my body more (working out, walking, swimming).
Filming more vlogs. (My goal especially on vacation is to vlog every day of the vacation.)
Focusing on the positive.
Curating my summer fits.
Trusting God and God's timing. Fully taking leaps.
Prioritising my relationship with God.
Prioritising quality time with my husband.
Last month I did this post late. I had a sluggish start to the month. I even ended it with "Granted, it's June 11th, but 19 days is a lot of time for life to happen. So let's live the rest of our days making choices that align with who we are, so that when we reflect, we aren't disappointed in the way we spent our time." How true that turned out to be is astonishing. A lot can and DID happen in 19 days. I am so proud of the choices I made and how I spent my time. The way the month started and how it ended is crazy. Well, this month I intend to waste 0 days. I want to make it a summer of a lifetime, making every day special.
