{July Reflections}

July was a busy but wonderful month. I enjoy it the most because I am truly off of work for the whole month. It was busy with travel, creating memories, and spending time with friends and family.

My goals for July were to:

Read: I wanted to read 3 books and I came close! The first book I read was very science based and it took me longer to get through.  I was often rereading pages to make sure I understood the material. 

• Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
  Yep, I read a book about sex, and it was GOOD! I had heard about this book from a marriage podcast that I listen to. The book was extremely fascinating, it dispelled information that I had learned along the way, and it really drove home that we are all normal, not broken as society would often want us to believe. There were so many personal takeaways. I highly recommend it!
• The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
  I loved this book. It takes place in the late 1700's on a plantation. The relationships were beautiful to read about, and the tensions were riveting. Once I got through the first few chapters, I devoured this book! 

Travel. We took a lovely trip up to Alaska. It was wonderful to show Paul the beauty of Alaska in the summertime. It had been so long since I had been up for a Summer that I had forgotten how beautiful Alaska could be. I enjoyed spending time with family and seeing dear friends.

Workout. I set my goal at 12 and I worked out 8 times. Honestly if you had asked me before actually counting I thought I was closer to 12. Oh well, this continues to be a work in progress. 

Purge. I made progress on this goal, and I have to say it always feels so good! Our church was having a rummage sale to raise money and so it was the perfect time to go through my clothes. I spent an afternoon and looked through everything. I tried to stick close to the mantra of "Does this spark joy". If not, time to move on. Does anyone else feel lightened up when you get rid of stuff?

For August, my mini goals are to:
Read: 3 Books! I can do this!
Workout: I am planning to workout 12 times.
Practice Mindfulness: I want to learn more and start practicing mindfulness to help manage my anxiety.

What are your goals for August?