I’m Doing The Bare Minimum For The Month Of July

No one ever talks about how hard caring for yourself is, especially in this strange world we are living in. Maintaining your inner and outer being is a full-time gig. It's fun to post cute memes about loving ourselves on social media, but it's easy to drop the ball when actually doing the work.

It takes commitment to show up for yourself even when nothing seems to go your way, and I'm speaking from experience. I've had to push myself to do the work for myself these last few months because…burnout is real. I've been wrapped up in the "let's make this year count" rhetoric that I began to hit a wall during the last weeks of June. So, for the purpose of caring for myself and my mental, I permitted myself to have a "f*** it" month in July.

For July, I vowed to go slow, to stop worrying about making extra money, forcing creative ideas, etc. I sometimes get so bogged down with making things happen that I forget the benefits of doing the least. And I must say, keeping it simple in July has already produced immense benefits. I've gotten some much-needed rest, am more present with loved ones, developed an improved skin routine, calmed my anxiety, and gained clarity on what I want to focus on for the remainder of this year.

I tailored my schedule for Essence Festival weekend to reflect my July month of "f*** it." I signed up for a sound bath event to celebrate the festival and 5th birthday of a beauty boutique I love and frequent here in New Orleans (and even wrote about in Essence Magazine - yay me!). During the sound bath session, the leader encouraged us to "take our time" because we will eventually get whatever we are supposed to have. That resonated with me and affirmed my July month of "f*** it."

Reminding myself to take my time has helped my nervous system and enhanced my faith walk. My days are even more intentional and are primarily about feeding my soul whatever it needs. I plan to continue the month like this and even try to incorporate spurts of "f*** it" moments in the coming months. It takes courage to let the things go that plague our minds and trigger our anxiety daily, but if I plan to not only live long but to live a life of quality, I must be brave enough to say "f*** it," mean it, and follow it with action.

Remember, just as hustling is productive, so is resting.

P.S. - Stay tuned for info on our next BWFS event. Coming soon!

Peace and Blessings,

- Samjah Iman