Pop & Circumstance | Guidebook for Beautiful Living

(photo credit: @bloguettes) 

It’s July 1st, which means we’re 6 months into the new year! I always like to take this half way point to re-evaluate my goals for the new year to see what’s working, what isn’t, and to adjust or totally scrap if necessary. In life, my aim is to always be a “chess player” and not a “chess piece.” I find that writing my plans down and checking back on them regularly helps me to do exactly that. If you also keep written goals for the year, now is the perfect point to check in with yourself and to see if you’re on course or if you want to make any changes or additions to the list! Here’s where I’m at:

(photo credit: @visitoslo) 

1. Travel within the US!

YES! This is definitely still at the top of the list and Kyle I visited my sister in San Diego in February and were so SO happy to get away. It’s amazing how seeing the sun for even a few days can bring you back to life. At the end of this month we’re looking forward to exploring Nashville for the first time, and in August I’ll be renting a van with my sister to hike & camp across Idaho. This week we realized that Kyle still had 12 vacation days left on the calendar, so on a whim we booked a trip to Oslo, Berlin, and Amsterdam! We thought we’d primarily stick to the US this year, but sometimes when you see cheap international flights you have to just go for it.

2. Max out my Roth IRA at $5,500 by July 1, 2018.

Done and done, and truly the best feeling. It’s a huge gift to myself because it frees me up to focus on other things for the remainder of the year, and not give this one second thought.

(photo credit: @americanredcross)

3. Donate blood as frequently as possible.

This is another goal that I’m proud to say that I’ve stuck to. It’s free to do and takes just a small time commitment. Right now there’s a massive shortage of blood types A, B, and O according to the Red Cross. If you’re one of the missing types I highly encourage you to go out and donate ASAP! You can book an appointment here.

4. Make upgrades to our condo.

This is one goal that’s getting re-evaluated. While it would be lovely to make some updates, it’s difficult to do while simultaneously starting a business. We’ve also agreed that travel is a higher priority at the moment so this is currently on hold. *As a sidenote I never feel guilt about changing or postponing a goal, and if you make changes you shouldn’t either! It’s a totally unproductive emotion and it’s your life so make changes as they work for you.


(photo credit: @veggiekins)

5. Prescribe to a (mostly) vegan diet.

This change felt so right, and that I quickly went from a mostly plant-based diet to one that’s 100% vegan. I’ve honestly never felt better in my life and there’s a sense of lightness that comes with it. I’m so happy to know that I’m reducing my environmental footprint and that no animals are suffering unnecessarily on my behalf. Kyle and I are also thrilled to have invested in Rewild, a plant-based beer hall that’s coming to Quincy center at the end of the summer (more on that come). Also, as fair warning, if you want to dine out with me during the rest of 2018, this is where we’ll be going.

6. Get more involved in the Boston wellness community.

It’s been so fun to meet members of the wellness community and I’m looking forward to getting even more involved! It was a blast to attend WELL Summit Boston in the spring, and I’m looking forward to attending the NYC event in October. It’s such a wonderful and supportive community and it’s exciting to see large numbers of people taking ownership of their health and wellbeing. If you’re also in the Boston area and looking to jump into the scene, I highly recommend Jennifer Hanway’s events — she’s a local holistic health coach who has a wealth of knowledge. Another great resource is Britt Gottlieb’s blog, Wellness in a Nutshell. She interviews local wellness founders and also highlights key events around the city.

7. Set ourselves up to pay off our condo within the next 4 years (by Jan 1, 2022).

No changes here, this will always make the resolution list until it’s mortgage is gone. So far, so good and happy to report that we’re on track and boy does it feel good.

8. Keep a reusable bag in my purse at all times so I don’t need plastic bags.

Yes, so on top of this one! My reusable Baggu bag is in my purse at all times, so no new plastic bags have entered the house. We also got reusable cloth bags for produce that we use every time we grocery shop. I’m also excited to see that people are ditching plastic straws and bringing their own mugs for fill-ups at coffee shops. I’m hardcore cheering everyone on!

9. Grow Wellness at Work so that it’s in 5 cities or more.

Wellness at Work launched in Boston in the fall and is now spreading to NYC and San Diego! Stay tuned for the next cities on the list.

(photo credit: @noiseandnotion) 

10. Embrace minimalism.

This is still in progress. We’ve shed a good number of items but still have a ways to go for the second half of the year. I sold my wedding dress and veil and am so SO happy that someone else will get joy from them. I realized that giving objects new life vs. having them sit in a closet or storage is a really beautiful thing. I’m embracing it.

11. Begin a regular yoga practice.

I have to be honest and admit that I’ve not been the best at this. I’ve gone sporadically to a few classes, but I haven’t fully committed. At the end of June I participated in Yoga for Humanity’s International Yoga Day in Copley Square. It was a beautiful summer night and so nice to be practicing outdoors with hundreds of other people. I left feeling so calm and refreshed. Instead of beating myself up about not going to yoga weekly, I’m going to see if practicing at home a few times a month is a more realistic option.

Thank you to everyone who has helped me stick my goals and held me accountable. I’m looking forward to what the next 6 months will bring! How is the first half of 2018 going for you? I want to hear! Let me know in the comments below.