A Cup of Catherine

5 Things That Have Served Me Well in June and 3 That Haven’t

by

So, I got the idea for this post from the lovely Kate who co-founded Thirty On Tap (the website I contribute to occasionally).

Predictably, this goes along with the whole self-care theme I’ve been running into the ground exploring lately, but I like the idea of reflecting upon the month at large and setting small self-improvement centered goals throughout the year.

I hope to make this a monthly thing. <3

5-things-served-well

5 things that have served me well this past month

Starting a notebook for post-therapy reflections // The over-achiever in me wants to be the ideal “perfect” client (yeah, I’m working on that…), but this is also a good way to stay on topic and ensure too many awkward silences don’t arise. It’s also a way to hold myself accountable to my goals and discover things that may not come up organically.

Eating more intuitively in the mornings // For a while there I was eating the same thing every morning (brown rice cakes + PB + sliced banana + sprinkling of chia seeds—which I don’t hate), but it got monotonous. Now, I’m just eating whatever I feel like eating. For a few days it was smoothies, last week it was yogurt bowls + granola + cacao nibs and English muffins with cashew butter + cacao nibs or fruit. I’m limited on time, which sucks, because last week my tummy really wanted a fried egg, but being excited about breakfast helps start the day a little better, you know? Plus, intuitive eating leads to intuitive living (just ask Alexis).

Returning to my lunch-time walks // It’s still hot as HECK so I’m a little sweaty when I come back from lunch, but that fresh air and mid-day reflection soothes my soul. And it’s nice when I get to see my toothy, reptilian “friend,” Charlie (don’t worry, I see him from a safe distance).

Getting my hair cut in a slightly new-to-me style // I’ve been wanting a long, slightly-asymmetric bob, so that’s what I got. It’s barely longer in the front—not too drastic—and it looks and feels great when I actually fix it! There’s just something about a fresh haircut that makes me feel good.

Reading more in the evenings // One day I will stop talking about this book, but reading Present Over Perfect was such a game-changer. Even though I finished it a couple weeks ago, I still think about the lessons it taught (and continues to teach) me. I look forward to evening reading time now—and I think I sleep better when I allow myself enough time to really relax and enjoy whatever I’m reading.

…and 3 things that haven’t

Weighing myself daily on the scale // I’ve talked about this before—how my weight has increased and how I began weighing myself mostly out of curiosity—but now it’s become something I do automatically. It’s not something I think about constantly, but I have found myself cheering a little “yes!” if the number is lower in the mornings. Meh…I don’t want to let a pound or two dictate how I start my mornings, so I’m going to make a concerted effort to avoid stepping on the scale. Heck, maybe I’ll even pack it away. #outofsightoutofmind

Continued mindless scrolling on social media (particularly Instagram) // I think we’ve all read how Instagram is the worst social media platform for comparison. I can see why—it’s often a heavily-curated highlight reel—but I will say that I mostly feel inspiration and positive vibes from the accounts I follow. Still, I spend way too much time scrolling—and it’s a bad example to my child!

Obsessing over my daily step goal // Movement is and always will be important to me, but since it’s been raining so much and my movement has been limited as a result, I’ve been more obsessed over reaching my 10,000 steps. I even stayed late at the gym the other week so I could walk the track (after my 45-minute HIIT class) and hit my goal. While we all need to exercise and get our bodies moving, it’s not worth stressing over and walking around the house in circles before bed (yep, I did this a few times last month).

Catherine reflects on June: what’s served her well and what hasn’t #TOL #selfcare Share on X

[linking up with Amanda for thinking out loud]

So tell me…

  • What actions/choices have served you well this past month?
  • What do you think you need to change going forward?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. These are amazingly honest reflections, Catherine, which shows a lot of strength and intuition. I hope I can have the same honesty with myself in knowing what is or isn’t working for me. Thank you so much for sharing. I have a lot of the same thoughts as you.

      • Thanks for your kind words, Cora. The more I reflect on things like this, the more I realize most of us have similar thoughts.

    2. I so resonate with a lot of what you’re saying. This next month, I would love to not spend as much time scrolling on the gram. And I was obsessing about my daily step goal on my Iphone, but I’m learning slowly that I need to live in God’s grace, not trying to get all these things done and being frantic about getting in steps.

      Also, eating more intuitively in the morning is so good! It’s wonderful to be able to just eat what sounds delicious in the morning.

      • I hope you’re able to achieve those goals! We all could stand to obsess less over things that just aren’t as important as honesty, kindness, & things like that 🙂

    3. I am with you on not scrolling aimlessly at the Gram and other social media sites. Especially when I am with my husband. It’s only us two right now (besides the fur animals) and I catch us both getting caught up with our phones!

    4. Hi Catherine! I love this idea of a post! And I totally agree with the lunch walks, switching up your breakfast and NOT weighing yourself or obsessing over steps. This is a great way to take a look at each month! Here’s to an even better July! 🙂

    5. Love this idea! For me, the thing that has served me most this month has only really happened in the last week….changing the way I eat. It’s been a long time coming and I’m so glad that I’ve finally committed to the change. It’s like a new me, a new life, a new everything! Also, I went back to using my planner to keep my life in order. It’s amazing how writing down: RUN on a day makes you feel even more proud for checking it off of the “to do list”.

      • That’s awesome! It’s amazing how our food choices can affect our health at large. I so need to get back on track with my planner, too.

    6. Hey, great post! Was a pleasure to read. I’m doing kind of something similar at the moment as there are many things that I struggle with in my life.