We went a a short trip to Wyoming a few weeks ago, our first since COVID, which is amazing because we normally at least go on a weekend trip every month. It's a big part of our life satisfaction (and one of the reasons we decided to not have kids). And since we got back I have been getting a ton of little things, or a few of the big things that have been on my To-Do list for a long time.
May was a struggle at our house, we drank a bit more than normal, and decided that we would keep a gratitude calendar together. We just recorded how we were feeling every night (or ever two or three days but it was important to try to do it that day or the next so it was fresh in our minds and close to accurate). I think we just wanted to see better how we were doing, and even though we did still drink (and on occasion too much) we had twenty-one days without drinking and a month of data!
Maybe you're not a geek for data like we are but I think it helped me to see how green our Sundays were compared to our Fridays or mostly yellow Wednesdays. And for me it helped to track without judgement how hungry I am. Since starting to teach I have gained forty pounds (I've been this heavy before so it was very hard to gain back all the weight I lost in my late twenties) but I have come to understand that when I ignore things in my life instead of trying to address them, I eat my feelings. So, Bye-Bye July is about counting calories and trying to say good-bye to over eating and a little weight.
I would say Bye-Bye July was also to stop spending so much money, especially ordering things online, as that has been a little out of control with COVID too. I am also trying to write down the things I keep thinking about getting done, whether it's getting the bicycle tires aired up, or finishing the almost year long project on the basement. Also, things I do for my wife and our home, or for my job and school, or for myself and health.
And I would have to say that it has been helpful to see the things I want/ think I need to do, and to prioritize them based on how passionate I am about it or how much contribution it adds to my life. I'm still working this out but I can see a number of things I've already gotten done in the last ten days that I might not have gotten done if it wasn't on my mind like this.
I know that a haircut can seem like a silly thing to make someone feel better but it can make the difference between holding your head up high and hiding behind a hat. Not only did I get my hair done this last week but I also smashed a dozen other challenges I have been procrastinating.
One thing I have to say I am super proud about finishing was the Paris scrapbook. Everytime I worked on this project I enjoyed myself but I went long stretches without working on it because it was a bit overwhelming and it took a lot of time. I had to go to the store one more time today (I was short six scrapbook pages and photo tape for ten pictures! but I also needed to be the scrapbook itself, so I had to go anyway). But after 21 months it is finally finished and I am super pleased about that!
