Happy July! I came into this month with a renewed energy to pursue my goals after doing my half-year check-in. Can’t wait to tackle the second half of the year! 

Here is how I am finding balance this July:

Spider-Man

A new installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe hits theaters this month, so you know I had to include it on my list. This is the first movie after our world was rocked by Avengers: Endgame, so I am curious to see how they are going to proceed with the plotline (could you tell that I was trying very hard not to give any spoilers? haha). As always, my little brother and I will be in the seats waiting to see how it all plays out!  

Thrift Challenge

To continue with my desire to live a more sustainable lifestyle, I decided to enlist the help of a friend to do a thrift challenge. Though I have a few thrifted items that I love, thrifting has never been my favorite avenue for purchasing clothes. Mostly because I feel like I can never find anything that is both cute and fits me. Hoping my friend’s knowledge can help me gain some thrifting confidence. Stay tuned! 

Rach Coaching

I have a confession: I purchased life coaching session and I have not completed a SINGLE one. Partly because the live sessions are not at a convenient time for me (always on a weekday during work hours), partly because I never found the time to put it in my schedule. One of my goals this year (and for my life in general) is to make personal development a priority. While I have been working towards this through other mechanisms, I want to take it one step further this month by completing a coaching session. No one gets me more jazzed about life than Rachel Hollis at the moment, so I’m hoping that her energy will give me the push I need to finish out the rest of 2019 strong! 

Fun by/on/in the Water

Summer heat is at an all-time high, so naturally, I am gravitating towards the water. Hoping to get in some water time, whether it’s by, on, in, or all three! For example, there is a paddle boat situation that I have been wanting to check out. In addition, one of my favorite summer activities is to take a water taxi to National Harbor or DC. There is also always the pool. So many possibilities! 

Plastic Free July

This month, I signed a pledge to join the plastic-free July movement. The movement started in Australia and it consists of millions of people banding together to reduce their single-use plastic consumption. Last year, the effort was able to prevent about 490 million kilos of avoidable plastic waste. Participating this July doesn’t take a large commitment. It only requires that you refuse to use one category of single-use plastic items (such as plastic straws, plastic utensils, coffee cups, etc). The object of the plastic free July is not to be perfect but to consciously try to reduce your plastic consumption. I challenge you to give up just ONE thing. Together, we can make a huge impact. 

Vegan one day a week

I came across this post (above) and I was shocked by how much impact I can have on the environment just by going vegan for just one day! To help reduce my environmental impact this month, I am going to try to be completely vegan one day a week. I strongly believe that it doesn’t take dramatic life changes to make an impact. Plus, I’ll get to experiment with more plant-based recipes! 

This month, I am hoping to incorporate balance into my life by increasing my sustainability efforts and making my personal development a priority. 

How are you finding balance in July?