Hello June!!!
Hello June!!!
I want to keep this series going and write a piece every month, both reflecting on the time that's passed and setting intentions for the month ahead!
After a scroll through my camera roll, I present to you my May reflections:
In May, I:
Celebrated my partner's recent graduation :-)
Tried a new style (JORTS)
Worked out (:
Attended a research workshop
Had pool days
Started a 1000+ page classic (The Count of Monte Cristo)
Had a staycation!!
Perfected my homemade iced coffee
Went to Lebanon (it felt like I'd never been before — I was rediscovering it as an adult)
Gained weight lol
Got flowers
Wrote 8 blog posts!!!
May was more of a building-life-memories kind of month. I do feel like I wasn't as productive as I was supposed to be in my academic life, but consistency isn't always about pouring 100% into your work aspirations. Productivity isn't always the goal, and it shouldn't be. May had honeymoon vibes, a month filled with so many magical moments. Travelling was so, so, so good for my soul. I read somewhere that a lot of people soothe themselves by travelling, because it's the only way they can detach from the identity they've built over time and the responsibilities and social expectations that come with it. When you travel, you don't feel like someone's employee or employer, someone's parent, or whatever identity you carry in your hometown. You just become you, which gives you the space to really recover and self-discover. I really resonate with that. I was also outdoors a lot, whether it was poolside facing the ocean here or out in nature on my trip, and I found that so healing.
Over the past few months, I've truly focused on indulging in a slower life and self-care. It was actually on my vision board for 2026 at the start of the year: to not commit to a million projects and exert maximum energy every day. I wanted to bask in my femininity and take life one day at a time. But there's something about May that changed that for me. I feel ready now to dip my toe back into my old ways of running the engine high and overfilling my schedule. And I don't just mean work-wise. I'd slowed down on all fronts: social obligations, outings, work. Having one appointment a day was enough time outside for me. But now I'm ready. I want to really seize the day, take advantage of my time, and live my life across the full spectrum: grind and play.
What I'm leaving in May:
Overeating
Being distracted in the presence of people I love
Over-planning
Procrastinating
Hyperfixating on things I cannot change or control
Chatting with ChatGPT too much
What I'm taking into June:
Reading more
Being gluttonous with the time I spend around company I love
Savoring my love life
Looking for the magic in ordinary days
Having full days
Seeing the people I love more
What I want more of from June:
Refiring the engine!! Getting out of bed with a vengeance to seize the day!! I'm not letting doomscrolling steal my time.
Investing dedicated time into my research and showing up for myself.
Asking for help when I need it.
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.
