Now that the socialite of June in me has gotten her taste of summer (Check out my June Bucket List and June Wrap Up for more info!), it is time to hone it back in a little. School has started back up again for a summer semester and it’s kind of bittersweet. While I enjoyed the freedom of not having to worry about school and work, I am excited that I am taking the last official course for my degree program! One step closer to being a Master of Psychology!

That being said, I am going to be working overtime (as always) to make sure that I have as much fun as possible and soak in the sun while finishing my coursework off strong.

Here is how I am finding balance in July:

Travel Out of State

I have been keeping it pretty local the last couple of months (ok, except for that day trip to Philly) and I have been itching for more travel. I have a couple of loose plans on the calendar month that may take me out of my little corner of the world.

See an outdoor movie

When is the last time that you enjoyed a movie under the open sky? For me, it may have been in college for a movie on Ball Circle (Eagles, ya’ll know what I’m talking about). Outdoor movies are a different experience that I rarely partake in (I’ve probably done it 3 times in my life max). Luckily, my area is full of outdoor movie screenings in the summer.

Attend a Nationals Game

After seeing a Nat’s game in the freezing cold at the beginning of the season, (UGGS. I WAS WEARING UGGS AND WINTER COAT PEOPLE) I vowed that I was going to return to view the game the way that its meant to be viewed: slightly sweaty (read: very) in a baseball cap.

Practice Art

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen me share a pretty nerve-wracking revelation: I love to doodle, and I’m ready to share it with the world. I made it one of my personal goals this year to attempt watercolor art and learn more about the process. This month I want to focus a little more on practicing this form of art and hopefully get more comfortable with sharing it.

Create a “No Phone Zone”

I know that I am not the only person that can get lost in an endless scroll. It can literally extend my bedtime by hours (and reduce my sleep) because it is the first and last thing I do each day. To combat that, I want to experiment with having a no phone zone around bedtime. As ridiculous as it sounds, not having my phone right next to me at night is a little anxiety-inducing (what if I don’t hear my alarm!?). However, I’m hoping that this intervention will cut down on the scroll and help with my alarm-snoozing problem in the morning.

Try an Audiobook

Audiobooks get nothing but praise, but I am a little apprehensive to believe in the hype. Can anything be comparable to reading a book and allowing your imagination to flow? I mean, half the fun is interpreting the book in your own voice. While that is the case, I am finally ready to give it a try and see what the hype is about. Maybe I can take advantage of travel time and kill two bucket list items with one stone?  Let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments below!

Participate in July Fit Challenge with Ascend Cycle

When I saw that Ascend was doing a July Challenge, I knew it was time to jump fully back into spending time at my favorite studio. There are different tiers of the challenge that you can try to reach and hopefully win some awesome prizes. I’m hoping to complete between 8 and 12 classes before the month ends. Check out their website for more information, especially if you are in the area! It’s not too late to join!

Taco Tuesday

Ok, if you don’t like tacos, then I may be judging you…just a little. One of the best things about tacos is their versatility. There are soooo many different taco recipes out there and I plan to try a different one every week. I’ll be sharing the finished results on Instagram and a future blog post!

This month, I am hoping to incorporate balance into my life by focusing on personal development. There are quite a few items on this list that will be completely new or extremely rare for me. I am excited to not only focus on my school work but to focus on other aspects of wellness as well. How are you finding balance in June?

♥ Cierra