Halfway through the year always feels like a good excuse to pause for a minute.
Not to judge myself or panic over the goals I haven’t reached yet—but to take inventory of what’s changed.
Some things have surprised me.
I set a goal to read 30 books this year. Somewhere along the way, I realized I’d already blown past that, so I bumped my goal to 45. Now I’m only a handful of books away from that one, too. Part of me is wondering if I should raise it again. Another part of me thinks it’s okay to simply enjoy the fact that I underestimated myself.
I’ve surprised myself in other ways, too.
This year I finally said yes to freelancing after years of letting opportunities pass me by. I took on projects that challenged me, invested in a surface pattern design course that I was able to put to use almost immediately, and even dusted off my portfolio—a project that had been sitting untouched for well over a decade.
Health has looked different this year, too.
Since May, weekday workouts have become a non-negotiable. Strength training, cardio, and longer walks with Boots and Ollie have slowly become part of my routine. Some days my body needs me to adjust. One Friday workout became a Saturday workout because I was simply too sore. That’s okay. The important part wasn’t sticking to the exact schedule—it was coming back the next day.
I’ve also been sleeping more than I have in a long time, and honestly, I think that’s been one of the biggest contributors to everything else. Feeling well-rested makes it easier to work, easier to exercise, and easier to show up with a little more patience.
Am I doing all the things? Absolutely not.
There are still projects I want to start, products I want to make, classes I want to take, trails to trek with my boys, books to read, and yes… maybe a few fewer crossword puzzles and Ooblets sessions than I actually squeeze into my week.
Sometimes I still feel like an octopus trying to keep a dozen plates spinning.
But I’ve started asking myself a different question at the end of the day.
Not, “Did I get everything done?”
Instead:
“Did I move something that matters forward today?”
Most days, the answer is yes.
And for this season of life, that’s enough.
Tomorrow is another day. I’ll keep showing up, keep making progress, and keep reminding myself that meaningful change isn’t built in one perfect day. It’s built in a lot of ordinary ones.
It’s kind of wild that July is already here. It still feels like January wasn’t all that long ago, when I was standing in Egypt, completely in awe of structures built thousands of years ago.
Looking back over these last six months, it’s funny how many of the changes happened quietly. They weren’t huge, life-altering moments. They were workouts. Walks. Books. Projects. Tiny decisions repeated over and over.
And somehow, those ordinary days have added up to someone who feels stronger, more creative, less stressed, and more excited about what’s ahead.
Maybe that’s the real reason I like doing a mid-year check-in.
Not to see how many boxes I’ve checked, but to remind myself that the little things I’ve been doing day in and day out are quietly shaping the person I’m becoming.
The year’s not over yet.
There’s still plenty of time to surprise ourselves.
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