I’m a week back into the routine following our family vacation today, and now that I’ve had my fun and relaxation, my goal for this month is to build up some better habits to see me through the rest of the year.

Vacation was a lot of fun, and I was not eager to see it end. We got to introduce my niece to some new experiences and foods with mostly positive results, and watching her ham it up for an entire week was great entertainment. She’s at the stage where she’s trying to mimic every word and sound she hears to add it to her vocabulary, which is both fascinating and adorable.

Last week was about getting back into the swing of things after all the fun, and fortunately for me it wasn’t too crazy at work so I was able to ease in without much trouble. At home, I’m following a checklist to try to build up some more productive habits, as I mentioned before, cutting back on the caffeine and sugar (notice I said cut back not out), dedicating some time for reading specifically on publishing and writing to build my craft, reading my Bible daily, and incorporating some light exercise into my week, among several other things. I’m keeping track each day & hope to see that by the beginning of September at least some of these things have become more natural and less compulsive as I realign how I prioritize my time.