become a member Cost as low as $4/month and enjoy unlimited reading of the TSLL blog.
July heralds the start of the second half of the year, and yet, it doesn’t go ahead. It’s as if time stands still for about four weeks before speeding up with the arrival of August, and then September moves at a rapid pace that we seem to follow ten months of the year.
Because of this sensation of time slowing down, I allow myself to physically slow myself down as well. Having space to linger, to rest, and then, as a result, to think about all that jumps to the forefront of my mind, asks me to entertain in some way, to figure out how to bring it into my life to add to the symphony. After all, any device that is frequently used and appreciated needs to be maintained. So, while it will involve new ideas, it will be a reminder of what is already contributing to loving our lives, so we are deepening our awareness and thus reminding ourselves to appreciate what is already going well. How we do this is by slowing down, shifting into a lower, tuddling-along gear over a day or weekend.
Whenever you are able to begin to get down to a slower pace, today’s post/episode is an invitation to sink into your being, rest your mind and then observe where it wants to go, what tickles curiosity.
Let July be the month that reminds you that you can refuse to live the life the world says you should and instead build a life that makes you infinitely satisfied and joyfully happy. Give July time and space to think about what that life consists of.
“It’s July and I have hope for who I’m becoming.” – Charlotte Erickson
1. Let your body sleep as long as it needs
When possible, let your body wake up when it naturally wants to. Whenever you take your vacation during the summer months, keep your schedule loose and free up your mornings so you wake up when your body is ready.
With short nights in the summer, being able to wake up after the sun rises tells me that my body is getting what it needs. Because I’m usually an early bird, turning in fairly early at night, I know that if I wake up after the sun rises that my body needs more time to rest and I’m grateful to have it. My mind is clearer, my mood is brighter and whatever the day, I fill it well rested.
2. Use the hottest times of the day to slow down and just be with your thoughts and curiosity.
Whether picking up a journal of your thoughts or letting them dance, or picking out reading material to inspire your thinking, give your thoughts free rein to go where they want to go and let them show you ideas, desires and possibilities that may not have room to introduce themselves in your busy schedule throughout the rest of the year.
3. Think about where you feel at peace
In what environment, what schedule, what people, pace of life, do you feel peace? the writer Corey Allen Reminds that “a peaceful life is often the result of a thousand quiet boundaries.” Where can you with love, but with steadfastness, Establish boundaries To build a life of peace?
A peaceful life is also built by investing in what brings you peace: loving, respectful relationships; A green garden filled with successive flowers; Good health established by daily nutritional habits for mind and body; A sanctuary that is our home that provides welcome, rejuvenation and calm; Wisely navigating all that swirls around us so as not to become overwhelmed or overstimulated.
4. Remind yourself of your growth
So often we are in such a perpetual motion to do more that we forget what we have done and what we have learned in the process. Whether you set goals, resolutions, objectives or nothing at all when January 2026 rolls around, taking a moment to reflect back on the past six months to remember what you’ve done, overcome and learned as a result is beneficial for some reason.
Make a list for each of the following:
- Stressors or challenges that have been resolved or improved
- Positive or desired outcomes that have been realized
- What did each of these teach you or help you understand?
If we go through life unconsciously, we bypass a helpful boost to our confidence: the realization that we’re growing, we’re learning, and we have new skills, better than before, that we have to reach for again.
5. Make a list of what’s going well right now
It’s not just a gratitude list, but rather a concrete assessment of the routines, rituals, habits, and procedures in your daily life that are working well for you, what you enjoy, what nourishes you, and what’s supporting the direction you’re intentionally directing your life.
It’s something I do every six months as a way to remind myself that I can change what isn’t working, as well as to appreciate new or long-standing habits, routines, and rituals that have been consciously added and are working well and improving my life.
6. What would you like to change?
“And so with the sunlight and the big leaves bursting on the trees, as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life is beginning again with summer.” -F. Scott Fitzgerald
Who says that January 1st has to be the start of the new year? I’ve shared over the years that my birthday is considered the start of a new year, as is September, and I let January be a fresh start. It may seem counterintuitive to make so many new beginnings in one calendar year, but the more opportunities we give ourselves to change, change, and change, the less likely we are to get off track because we catch ourselves. At the same time, we are able to reaffirm what works and strengthen our base of knowing – knowing what works and protecting those sources, habits, routines, rituals, etc.
Now, July is letting us take our feet off the schedule, so to speak, what would you change? It can literally be anything. Maybe some observation or experience in your travels has made you realize that you don’t have to go about life in a certain way, there are different ways to live life well. Maybe you’re realizing that fresh, seasonal food really gives you more energy, boosts your mood, and makes you feel better about your body, so you decide to change your approach to eating (let TSLL teach you how to eat and cook seasonally. Introduction to French cooking: Everyday delicacies video courses), or maybe you recognize that now is the best time to take a step closer to realizing that big dream you’ve been putting off.
Let July be your cheerleader to help you believe in yourself and your chosen life journey. The changes you make today won’t immediately translate into a dream come true, but the dream will eventually come true if you practice the habits, invest, and maintain the focus necessary to make it happen.
7. Make a date about 6-months in advance for your next self-check-in
may be this time’week in the year‘ As in my case, or perhaps you prefer a date in January to make it in the middle of winter, providing an incentive or reassurance in your direction. Whatever date you set, know that it may be shaky, but it’s a habit to support a lifestyle of fulfillment, nourishment, and enjoyment in your daily life.
There are several posts that provide guidance on mid-year check-ins, and most revolve around goals, progress, and how to better spend the second half of the year. TSLL’s approach is different in that we focus on making sure your everyday life is enjoyable. Not that every day will be great because we will always face undesirable moments at some point, but rather to ensure that how we live our lives is consistent with our self-defined values.
Reading Jane Tota McGivney’s Finding Your WaldenHe reminds us that Henry David Thoreau didn’t have goals he was trying to achieve, but values he wanted to live by – respecting Mother Nature and all people, enjoying his days, not worshiping money. When we put our values ahead of goals, we ensure that we don’t misplace our personal principles of living well and contentedly, regardless of the goal or desired outcome.
When we live like this, it becomes easy To enjoy the present moment Because, conversely, when we prioritize goals, by design, we are drawn to the future and see the present as a means to that goal.
Living well, living a life of contentment is all about today, this moment, the present moment. If we think that if we build a life to enrich our today, then our tomorrow will be sweeter than we can imagine. We don’t claim they have to be anything special. Instead, we live our values, we walk our journey in alignment with those values, we invest in the path, we exercise discipline by rejecting invitations to live in ways that do not support a life that we know brings us to life. this How we live a simple luxurious life.
July comes auspiciously in the middle of the calendar year, encouraging us to slow down and check in with ourselves. How do we feel about how we’ve traveled so far? Can our mind relax when we go to sleep at night? Have we taken on challenges that excite us and at the same time allow us to grow in ways that bring out our best selves? Only you can know the correct answer to each of these questions.
By stilling our lives and our being, we begin to tune into our voice, our needs and our dreams. As I sit and type, having spent my morning pottering in the garden, and now watching the French countryside on television during Le Tour, I find myself living one dream and thinking about another. As the noise of the world quiets down, I know what brings me to life. Now I have to invest steadily in enjoying the life around me, made with conscious effort, I practice patience by letting go of a specific timeline, apply learned skills to navigate the challenges that arise, and always remember to regularly appreciate what is given. Your life undoubtedly also displays dreams realized. We can dream as well as enjoy what we have realized. Let the life you live now be a reminder of what you can experience when you live on purpose.
Thank you for the retirement July.
Similar posts/episodes you may enjoy
little joy
gardening
~ Adding Japanese Anemone, Honorine Jobert, to the Garden (Plus, tune in to the episode as I share other favorite garden items, plants, shows, and tools I love)
~ shop Bluestone is perennial (I made a mistake in the episode and called them Blue Perineal)
