Monthly Reset Ritual [August]
It’s early morning, one third of the way through August already, and I’m just creating the time to sit down and write out this guide now.
The truth is that I’ve felt hesitation and maybe even a sense of procrastination in creating this reset ritual for you, only because I, myself, have been avoiding this exact thing.
As I’ve shared in a few of my latest posts- the last few weeks/few months have felt challenging, and it’s as if the weight of the world was stacking up on my shoulders.
Showing up was difficult because taking care of myself was difficult- and over the last week and a half, I’ve been working hard to change that.
I recognized recently that a lot of the daily ‘habits’ I used to do regularly had slipped away- and I was craving coming back to them. Things like stepping away from my phone, doing a formal daily meditation practice, engaging in gratitude journaling, and even having affirmations posted in my environment.
Thus, I got to work on reimplementing all of these things- and I have to say, it is changing my life in such a good way. I’m starting to feel my stress disappearing, my energy rising, my sleep improving, and even my motivation and productivity increasing!
It’s been incredible to witness such immense changes in such little time- and for me, this is a reminder of just how much power each of us holds in our lives to change things when we are unhappy or unsatisfied.
Now I know that we’re moving through the Summer at rapid speeds (at least here in Canada we are), and that fall is right around the corner. Depending on where you might find yourself right now in relation to your goals this year… that could feel exciting or terrifying.
Either way, what I really want to encourage you to do this month is to disconnect from what’s coming (ie. the future) and really focus on where you are right now, in the present moment.
Let’s work on bringing consistency to our little daily actions, to appreciating just how rich our lives already are, and setting ourselves up for success ‘today’ so that everything we want for tomorrow can actually come true.
This is the energy of what I want us to bring into the remainder of the month ahead.
Therefore, in today’s Monthly Reset Ritual, I hope to inspire you to slow down, to cultivate an ‘attitude of gratitude’ for everything already present in your life, and to help you reconnect to the happiness, peace, joy and love, that is already within you.
We might have a little less than 5 months left in this year- but that is so much time to make a difference in how we are showing up. Because you hold the power in your life, and everything you want is just one ‘energetic shift’ away. So let’s dive in, shall we?
Reflect; upon the past month.
Today’s guide, like every month, begins with a simple practice to reflect upon the last month and what brought you ‘here’ to this very moment. You didn’t just stumble into today out of nowhere- a pattern of thoughts, actions and beliefs led you to where you are right now, and we need to decide if we actually like the result or not.
As I shared above, for me, the past month has been filled with realizations about what was working well… as well as all the ways in which I was sabotaging myself, my growth and my success.
And what I realized was that I was actually creating more problems for myself than I was solving- which is pretty much the opposite of what I wanted to be doing.
Allowing myself to sit down in a quiet space and hash through the things that weren’t working actually opened my eyes to some limiting beliefs and fears that were ‘running the show’ behind the scenes- and it gave me the opportunity to quickly release them so that I could change how I was showing up.
Since this practice, I’ve been sleeping better, my energy has went way up, I’ve been more motivated and productive- and I’ve even ‘solved’ a lot of the problems that had been drowning me for weeks.
The truth is that a lot of the time we try to avoid the reflection piece because it feels too scary or overwhelming- as if admitting there were challenges, would somehow make the problem worse.
But what I’ve learned time and time again, is that a lot of our success actually lies within our ability to acknowledge and face the hard stuff. And the quicker that we can do this- the quicker we can dismantle the problem and get working on the solution.
So today, I’d love for you to carve out some time to reflect upon the last month to see what went well, and what could have went better. This is going to set the foundation for our energy reset this month- so make sure not to skip it!
Find a quite space, take out a pen and paper, and allow your mind to wander as you think about the month of July. And if you’re feeling stuck… try the questions below!
Here are some questions to get you started:
→ If you had to describe last month, what would you say about it?
→ What were some things that went well, and some things that didn’t? Why?
→ What are you feeling grateful for that happened last month?
→ If you could do it all over again, what would you better prioritize or do differently?
→ In what ways will you shift how you are showing up this month?
Feel free to journal on anything and everything that comes up, and consider what steps you can take from this knowledge to set yourself up for better success in August.
Maybe you recognized that you said yes to too many things you didn’t want to do, or maybe taking care of yourself fell to the backburner because of stress. Whatever it might be, use this activity to fuel the steps you take moving forward this month.
Reset; your energy and space.
It goes without saying (but we’re gonna say it anyways), that the state of your external environment is a direct reflection of your internal environment. Which means that if you’re living in chaos, or if things in your life are unorganized or in disarray- then you’ll likely feel, think and act in this way too.
Personally for me, I love to keep a clean home. And when I’m stressed, I clean. It’s worked well for me my entire life… but there are still times when things slip through the cracks and I find myself overwhelmed from the state of things.
This last month I can recognize that the three biggest contributors to my life feeling unorganized and chaotic were too much screen time (especially first thing in the morning), extremely slowwwww internet (like, worse than dial-up), and the spare room becoming a catch-all space (which shutting the door did NOT work for btw).
The combination of these space and energy drainers resulted in me feeling very low-vibe, frustrated and overwhelmed. I’d start my morning off disconnected from myself and glued to my phone- only to move into work dragging on because a task that should have taken 10 minutes took an hour. And don’t even get me started on the glimpses I caught into that room of disarray!
Moving into this month, I knew something needed to shift and I’ve spent the last couple of days ‘resetting’ my energy and home. That room? Organized. My internet? Fixed. My addiction to my phone? Solved.
Best part? Not only has this resolved the problems forementioned above- but I’ve also had a greater baseline of peace and joy each day, allowing me to have even more energy to get stuff done. My productivity is through the roof, and I have this exact activity to thank for that.
So now, it’s your turn! What are the biggest ‘clogs’ in the pipe right now? What is causing feelings of stress or disorganization within you and your life? What needs an overhaul at this moment to help you feel calmer, clearer and more connected?
Remember that it doesn’t have to be something big and massive (though it totally can be). Small things can often disrupt us just as much- and make the world of a difference when we focus our time and attention upon them.
So tell us, what will you be choosing to focus on for your energy and space reset?
If you need some ideas to get started, try this:
→ Try experimenting with an energetic space ‘audit’. Think of yourself like Marie Kondo and begin by walking into each room and asking “does this still serve who I am now?” Pay attention to how each room makes you feel- warm and inviting, cold and off-putting, or perhaps neither. Consider what changes you could make to your space to make it more ‘you’.
→ Perform a digital declutter. Open up your phone, tablet or computer and unsubscribe, unfollow, or delete apps that don’t earn their spot. You can even take this a step further by going into files/folders, your email account, or even just who you follow on social media! Get rid of everything that isn’t ‘giving you something’.
→ Consider implementing an overstimulation wind-down. Think of this like an evening ritual to counter summer’s nonstop social energy! Dim the lights, turn off the tv, play some soft music, stretch, journal, run a bubble bath- whatever feels the most inviting to you to help shift the buzzing energy inside and settle.
Make this month feel like yours.
This section of our guide is all about romanticizing life and finding new ways to make every day feel extra special this month. You don’t need to have a large budget or lots of free time to be intentional and love up on yourself.
In fact, sometimes the biggest changes can actually come from the smallest, most consistent steps. After all, the energy of romanticizing your life is really about making life more enjoyable. About slowing down, living softer, being present in all moments.
And usually? It’s not actually about doing something different- but doing the things you’re already doing differently. With purpose. Intention. And love.
Here in Alberta, it’s crazy to think that we’re wrapping up the summer and about to move into fall next month already- because it certainly doesn’t feel like we’ve had much of a summer yet!
The last couple of months have been rainy and windy, with lots of wicked storms… so it’s only made me appreciate the sunny days that much more.
Without really realizing it, I’ve been focusing on infusing the essence of summer into everything I do, which has helped me make this month feel like mine and preserve the energy of the season.
I’ve found that this has helped me feel more grounded and happy, get excited about the things that we are doing even if the weather prediction doesn’t look great, and to even prioritize seeing people/doing things that I might otherwise put off.
What this looks like in action is actually tapping into all of our senses and thinking about the ways that we want ‘summer’ (or specifically this month) to taste, smell, feel, sound, or look like.
It might sound a little woo-woo but trust me here. It really does work! Because honestly, if there’s a ‘vibe’ that you’re going for in your life and how you want it be- you’ve probably already considered these things without realizing it.
The life that feels peaceful, calming, exciting, happy and full? There’s a way that it also sounds, tastes, smells and looks- and all it takes is you tuning into that, to help recreate that right now in your life.
So for today, I want you to consider what energy you want to bring into the month of August. How do you want this month to feel? In what ways can you infuse the essence of that into what you’re doing? And how can you make this month truly feel like you?
Personally for me, I’m taking advantage of all the outdoor markets, wearing dresses every single day whether I have a reason to or not, going berry picking, hanging out on patios more often with friends, and sitting around as many campfires as I possibly can.
What will you focus on to romanticize the month ahead and make this month yours?
If you need some ideas to get started, try this:
→ Treat yourself to an ice cream cone at that shop you’ve been thinking about trying, and choose a flavour that you love.
→ Find a local u-pick farm, take a bucket (and a friend), and go pick some fresh berries for you to use in your own baking at home.
→ Take an empty journal and a pen to the beach or a quiet area in nature, and spend some time reconnecting to yourself and your goals.
→ Go and visit an area in your city or town that you haven’t been to before, and let yourself be a ‘tourist’ enjoying every moment.
If you want more musings like this
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Let us know below in the comments how you plan to make the month of August feel a little more like you, and what you’re calling in for the next 30 or so days 🫶🏽
Love, Brianne xx
P.S. If something I shared today made you think, smile, or feel something deep inside- you can now buy me a tea to help fuel even more early morning creative sessions 💌
About the Author:
Hey there! I’m Brianne, the messy human behind The 30 Something Bible. I’m a full-time writer, speaker, and host of the Go Regulate Yourself podcast. Born and raised a small-town Alberta girl, I now spend six months a year travelling the globe in search of a slower, softer way of living.
Here, I write about navigating the changes and challenges that your 30’s can bring, how to heal and move past the difficult things you’ve experienced in your life, and all the ways to create a life more magical and delicious than your wildest dreams.
I’m so honoured to have you here in my little corner of the internet- and I hope that my journey inspires you to demand more for your life. Thanks for being here!
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