July Resolutions Review

Try three new fiction authors	Go on my first ever bachelorette trip	Don’t take other people’s bad attitudes personally	Go to Beacon	Go to Salem for two days
Get over my ear problem (ear infection/ inflamed eardrum)	Watch my favorite crime author’s library talk	Acquire some clothing (dresses for special occasions and professional clothes for work)	Help out Justin’s podcast	Everytime you call yourself fat or stupid (even in your head) you pause and give yourself a pep talk
Go to a hookah lounge (it’s been too long!)	Attend a tea party	Free Space	Work on my knitting present. I have a deadline.	MInimize snacking (be aware of what you eat)
Start a star sign book	Do an acrostic poem activity at the senior center	Sushi > Chinese (healthwise)	Watch bad sci-fi movies during Shark Week (at the end of July)	Make three junk journal spreads inspired by Pinterest
Perform at the slam and the open mic (remember to give content warnings!)	Conquer my fear of bingo	Start comfort books for Christmas	Find something to do with all the binders under my dresser	Work on not comparing yourself to other people

July went by fast! (I am only imagine how September will fly by. I’m booked to the hilt). I liked it though. It was a healthy amount of working and playing and doing a little bit of both mixed in. I really applied myself- to my job, my relationships, my hobbies and projects. I am also proud of myself.

July Resolutions Accomplished:

• Try three new fiction authors. I was given a fiction author to read for my own book club (we read Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life) which was an easy and fun beach read. I also started books by Elin Hilderbrand and Renee Ahdieh and so far I like them too.

• I finally got over my ear infection. It was a really nasty infection. I had to go to the ENT so they could clean it out and he said my eardrum had gotten inflamed. I used heating pads and Tylenol to treat it because I really didn’t want to go on more medication.

• I went to a hookah lounge the day after the Fourth of July/ my sobriety date. Justin found us a really nice one in his area. We had a private room where we could buy beverages and watch anything on the TV. We must have stayed there for several hours, inhaling the semi harsh smoke until we got the spins.

• I performed at the poetry slam. Sadly I was eliminated in the first round which I wasn’t exactly surprised at because there was very stiff competition. I didn’t get a chance to read at the open mic because we had a surge of newbies and as an organizer we are asked to drop out to accommodate the public. Our organization has gotten much more popular lately with our open mics at maximum capacity and running out of seats. We advertise on Meetup, and social media but I think recently we have word of mouth to thank for it.

• I loved going to Cape Cod for my best friend’s bachelorette trip. I also wrote a post about it a few days ago so if you want to know more about it I recommend this link: https://www.leighwintersstoryofhope.com/post/things-that-made-me-smile-this-weekend.

• I went to my friend’s house to watch a crime author’s interview (Karin Slaughter, in case anyone is interested. No one can do crime like her). We ate “crime” inspired snacks, got distracted by her cats and drank coffee at nine o’clock at night like rebels.

• Another one of my best friends held a tea party. It was very well executed. A bunch of us came in white lace and florals with pearls and gloves and large hats with flowers on the prim. Tres elegant. There was a large assortment of tea, scones, chocolate covered strawberries and little finger sandwiches not to mention bellinis (and an alcohol free one for me because my friend always thinks about me). We sat with our tea and saucers and talked about “girl” stuff (and yes we did discuss things like periods or pregnancy. I believe that constitutes girl stuff even if it might not have been proper during the Victorian era)

• I did the acrostic poem activity at the assisted living center I work at. There was a baby shower for one of the workers and I integrated my activity into the party. We used several words like “baby girl” “motherhood” and “maternity”  and I got good participation. Some people said things like “obstetrician” “beautiful” and “headache”. I enjoyed headache.

• I think I did this. My coworker was out sick today so I did bingo twice in a row. Although I do not enjoy bingo (it is very tedious and I still got to be wary of careless mistakes) I don’t really feel paralyzed by fear walking into the bingo room. I even have confidence, like I know  what I’m doing. And maybe I do because I haven’t been messing up. I have made a mistake or two. But who hasn’t done that.

• I got some new clothes for work. Kohl’s did me a solid (I found three new tops for a good deal. I can wear them to work or whenever I want to look nice. None of them are too clingy and none of them emphasize my weight). When I went to Cape Cod, I found three more tops in a thrift store for $21 (one of them I found in the $1 bin) that I could wear to work when it gets a little cooler outside. Bargain!

• I did cave and have Chinese once. But other than that I’ve been eating sushi, poke balls and ramen. Yes, I love Japanese food. It is probably my favorite cuisine.

• I started my comfort books for Christmas and several birthdays. It is going to be an in depth project because I’m inking every page and finding stickers and snippings for each individual person. That’s why I started now.

• Justin and I actually found a hookah lounge in Beacon. So we went to Beacon for hookah, lounge and exploring the many interesting stores. Beacon is where I got my secrets diary.

• I helped out Justin’s podcast where him and his friend put the positive on bad movies. (I did a lot of research for the first episode). Maybe someday I will have a podcast of my own. But that involves alot of technological experience I don’t have. Although I’m sure if I read enough on the subject I could educate myself.

• I’m still working on my big top secret knitting project. And I’ve also decided after it’s finished I’m going to knit the Winnie the Pooh characters (well, the ones I could find cheap, easy patterns for: Winnie, Eeyore, Piglet and Roo. I’m also going to take a tiger and turn it into a tigger)

• This is the resolution I’m completing tonight. Justin and I are going to eat a delicious healthy meal he has made, then snuggle up with the dogs and watch bad sci-fi movies (preferably on sharks). I had a dream the other night I was walking past shark tanks at an aquarium and I was surrounded by tanks by all sides. For someone who likes being scared that was terrifying. 

• Oh yeah and found something to do with the binders. It ties in with my book club Christmas presents.

• I guess I did do a good job of not comparing  myself. I still sneak glances at other girl’s breasts but I’m working on that too (that’s a really embarrassing fact about me). I am also working on not being jealous when friends make new friends or I’m not invited to something. I realize I can’t be friends with everyone. 

Goals I Will Continue Working On:

• I would like to make the star sign book. But the Christmas season is advancing present-wise (don’t worry I haven’t started listening to the music yet). So I’m pushing it back to January.

• I’m still working on not taking people’s bad attitudes personally. At the assisted living facility I do encounter bad attitudes. But they pale in comparison with the friendly residents asking me how my day was (one resident even asks how my writing is going) or compliment my outfits or ask about my weekend. They really make me feel good about myself. And I know alot of them are in pain or missing their families so I can kind of understand why some people  might not be in the best mood.

• Didn’t go to Salem. Haven’t got the time. I will really try to go next year because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

• I’m still calling myself fat and stupid especially because my job is so demanding and I frequently feel  like I’m failing. I know I’m still relatively new and that I am still learning but I take criticism very hard because I’m used to doing well when I apply myself. My first retail job I was promoted early with a lot of positive feedback from other managers.

• I have been snacking  more than I should. Especially at work. I think I snack when I’m stressed and at work I’m usually stressed. Alot of time I’m not in tune with my body and how hungry I genuinely am or what kind of food I want. And I’ll eat whatever’s there to console myself.

• Somewhere down the road I will do the three junk journal spreads. I am keeping up with a 2026 scrapbook which I wish I had done for the last few years because it’s great to have my memories laid and organized like that.

July was amazing! Onto August!