Summer is here! Please tell me you’ve been getting some of the lovely warm weather that’s been making its way around these parts? I hope you have and I hope you’ve had the chance to enjoy it. As for me, it’s confirming that I hate being restricted to working in one place. I’m trying my hardest not to look out of the office window and I wish I worked somewhere that I’d be able to walk to.

Anyway, as I was writing this post, I kind of realised that I’d set these goals without thinking about the holiday I’ve just come back from. It’s never as simple as just going on holiday, is it? It seems in the few weeks leading up to it, all your free time is spent preparing for it! I think my goals weren’t very focused last month. But here’s how it went:

Take a break - I took a break from everything. Work, blogging, social media, emails – I only used my phone on holiday to text or call my family. I realised that I needed this. I needed to step away from it all and reevaluate. No huge light bulb moments came to me whilst I was away, but that didn’t matter. I wasn’t expecting any. I’m still not completely clear on the direction my business idea is going to take, but I do feel a little less confused in my head. But as for the break? It was worth it.

Sort out getting a new design - This was not done, simply because I just haven’t had the time. The plan is still to get a redesign for A Branch of Holly. So I’m just getting round to dedicating a weekend to smash this out!

Start creating something for my side project - What was I thinking when I was creating all these goals knowing I was going on holiday? Lesson learnt guys – make small goals when you know you’ve got to catch up on work, pack and take a break! But this actually gives me the opportunity to ask you a quick question.

I’ve got two ideas for things I want to make for you (for free) and I want to know which one you’d prefer to see:

A big list of free tools you can use to boost your online presence.

Or an even bigger list of content ideas to post to a variety of social media channels.

Let me know if you have a preference for which one you’d be more interested in!

Document, make notes & cherish everything - Every day, I’ve been writing down bullet points of really happy things that have happened that day. I’ve been writing down what I’m grateful for. I’ve been taking pictures, cherishing everyone in my life and making memories. There are still some parts of my life I need to alter to distance this fear. But I’m getting there. It takes time, right?

Honestly, taking a break completely threw me off track! That always happens though, doesn’t it? I’m glad that I completed two of these goals, even if there were slightly light. But for July, I’m really looking forward to trying to be more focused and intentional with the goals I set. So let’s look at this month’s goals:

Use my time more wisely - At the moment, I have a constant fear that three years are going to pass by and I won’t have accomplished anything I wanted to. I think this is being brought on by the fact that I turn 24 next week. Maybe the problem is that I’m not writing down my plan for the evening, so things are taking longer than I expect them too. I’m hoping this will help me to get more done.

Stick to my health & fitness regime - Oh boy, we were naughty on holiday. A lot of food was eaten and we tried many different types of French wine! Plus, I didn’t exercise for just over a week, which is never good for me. But now I’m ready to get back into it and I’m going to be a lot stricter with myself. Fitnessblender here I come!

Create a free download for my VIPs - There’s no question about this one. I really want this one to be completed more than anything. This is why I’m only going to set myself one or two business goals per month. This is the most important one. I put just above the two ideas I’ve got, so please do let me know which one excited you more and I’ll get right to it!

Enjoy my birthday - Even though it’s on a Thursday and I’ll be at work (and I won’t be able to celebrate that weekend) I’ll still celebrate somehow! Birthdays are a big deal in our family. It’s lovely to have a day to celebrate you.

I’m feeling more positive about this month, now that I’m back into the swing of things after my break so I’m looking forward to seeing how I do. Now, it’s onto the monthly review!

BLOG

Everything has gone well with this little space this month. I’m planning on adding an extra post to my weekly schedule. I used to love putting together great articles from around the web for my readers to look at over the weekend, so I’m going to start that up again! You can look out for the first one tomorrow.

I’m also changing the way I write my content. Recently, my head has been overwhelmed with all sorts of different advice. I don’t want to be another blogger that posts “How To Do This” or “How To Do That”. So A Branch of Holly is going to be a place for discussion, interpretation and inspiration – place to start a conversation.

Three Most Popular Posts Of The Month:

101 Of The Best Sites Online Right Now (Part 2)
Back To Basics: Do You Even Need To Be On Social Media?
10 Of The Best Tools I Use To Run My Website

SIDE PROJECTS

Well, this has been a no go this month. I’m disappointed to say that I’ve worked on nothing for my super side project. I think this is partly down to my mind set at the moment. I’ve been stuck at the same stage for so long and I know I won’t get to where I want to be quickly. There’s still the task of switching my blog over to Squarespace and other things I need to create before I even get onto starting everything else.

But what I have realised this month is that I want this more than anything. I really do. Many things have occurred over the past four weeks that have made me want to start working for myself right now. I know I’m suited to it. I know that lifestyle will work for me. And I know I’ll work hard to get it.

WORK

My job has been OK this past month. It was hectic trying to make sure I tidied everything up before I went on holiday. And it was a shock coming back, but I guess it’s that way for everyone. My clients seem happy though, so we’ll see what this month brings.

FITNESS

I was completely on my fitness regime at the start of the month. I was exercising four times a week, walking and eating really well. Then I went on holiday and, well, you know what happens then! Although we walked almost 11 miles every day we were away, it’s the intentional exercise that works for my body. HIIT, strength training and core work especially. Although it was amazing to indulge for a full week, I’m ready to get my body back to that happy place.

LIFE

During June, we visited the South of France for a week. We stayed in Nice and the picture above is what we saw every single day. I’d never seen anything like it, and I’d never seen the sea so blue and clear before.

We stayed in Nice and also got the chance to visit Cannes and Monte Carlo. They’re like completely different worlds. At a café in Monte Carlo, there was a dish on the menu called caviar and pancakes that was listed at 240 euros. And people where ordering them! A woman on the table next to us paid for her meal with a 100 Euro bill.

I also realised how glamorous these places are when I saw shops like this lining the street…

Oh it was fashion heaven! But I do also want to take this chance to tell you a quick story from our trip.

At 10:10pm on the night before we were due to fly home at 12:00pm the next day, we got a call from our airport transfer, telling us that there was a taxi strike taking place across France. They were going to have to cancel our transport. We were going to have to find another way of getting there.

Cue Tom and I looking at each other in sheer panic.

There’s that moment when something like this happens when you genuinely don’t know what to do. But thankfully, our brains kicked into gear and we started to look at other options.

We realised that the smartest way of getting to the airport wasn’t the easiest. We could’ve got the train but that was a complicated journey. We could’ve got the bus, but once we were on that we were stuck on the motorway, and taxis were blocking the exits to get to the airport. Or, we could walk along the promenade for an hour and a half.

We chose to walk. In peak summer heat, with each of us carrying a backpack and a 20kg suitcase.

It’s safe to say it took a while...but it was an adventure and a story we’ll be able to tell forever.

How’s June been for you? What’s been going on in different aspects of your life? I’d love to hear in the comments!