Goodbye July. You have been a delightful and insightful month for me and I will fondly remember you as the month when I decided to break the mold of the old me, who had been operating in my comfort zone for a while. It was time for me to show up for myself, create habits that serve me and let go of old habits that don’t.

July was my turning point in the search for my best self. You see, to the outside world I was seen as a strong person who was hitting all of the levels of success in life. Even if this was true, I realized that I have so much untapped potential just waiting to be utilized. If I want to serve this world and follow my purpose fully, I was going to have to make some changes.

At the end of June, I left on a solo vacation to Maine to clear my mind in solitude and come up with a plan. I had just been introduced to the book Atomic Habits by James Clear (tiny changes, remarkable results). Mind you, I had many healthy and productive habits to build upon, such as working out daily. I have always been known for being very disciplined, but there were areas that I had let slide in the first six months of this year after some major changes in my personal life. I had established some not-so-healthy habits and while my coaching practice is all about bringing mindfulness to all areas of one’s life, I was not fully living what I was teaching.

The book, Atomic Habits provides a framework for things to make sense and ring true, but multiple other factors and influences got me on track. I started a practice of Thai Yoga Massage earlier this year that expanded my heart space. I joined a coaching group that I highly recommend (Gray Tonic led by Kari Schwear) and committed to a “dry July”. I said farewell to my beloved habit of unwinding with wine, realizing how that habit had not only fogged my clarity but also fed into my fears. I started practicing yoga, and meditation and journaled as if my life depended on it. I tracked my macros and lost 8 lbs and 3% body fat. I declared that I wanted the rest of my life to be the best of my life!

There are several other commitments I made in July that will pay dividends well into the future. I adopted a rescue dog into my life named Boone, a two-year-old chocolate lab. He will make sure that we get our daily steps in and spend time in nature. His vibration will also add positively charged energy to my home. I signed up for a coaching program through Positive Intelligence to sharpen my tools and gain more insights into what is holding people back from their full potential and how to quiet one’s saboteurs. I am reading the book The Power Of One More by Ed Mylett, that has the subtitle “the ultimate guide to happiness and success” and I am broadening my spiritual practice by studying Gene Keys, by Richard Rudd. 

While my journey to becoming the best version of myself has only started, July was my month to break the mold of old habits that no longer serve me! What will it take for you to follow along and show up as the best version of yourself? You owe it to yourself and this world! If you need help breaking your mold, contact me at angela@belladonnacareercoach.com.