The Messy Middle of Summer Goals

By July, something interesting happens. The vision board collects dust. The gym starts seeing us less. The books we promised we'd read are still sitting on the nightstand. The habits we swore we'd build somehow got replaced by "I'll start again on Monday." If you've found yourself there, welcome to what I call the messy middle.

It's that point in the year where the excitement of January has worn off, but the finish line of December still feels far away. Life starts life-ing. Work gets busy. Responsibilities pile up. Motivation fades. Before you know it, you're wondering where the version of yourself went that was so determined six months ago. I know because I've been there.

My Goal Wasn't More Success. It Was More Me.

This year, one of my biggest goals wasn't building or launching another project. It was taking better care of myself. Working out consistently. Scheduling solo dates. Using my PTO. Actually resting without feeling guilty. Simple, right? Apparently not. Instead, I did what many go-getter women do. I worked.

And worked. And worked some more. Every time I considered taking a day off, my mind immediately started calculating what that day would cost me. "I should probably save that PTO for something important."

Then recently I looked at my PTO balance. Let's just say...there were a lot of hours in the bank untouched. Enough to make me realize I hadn't simply forgotten to rest. I had unintentionally convinced myself that I couldn't afford to.

What Was Really Going On?

It wasn't about vacation days. It wasn't even about money. It was about fear disguised as responsibility. Somewhere along the way, I started acting like everything depended on me. Like my security rested in my paycheck. Like every dollar spent on myself was a risk. But here's what the Holy Spirit gently reminded me.

If I truly believe God is my Shepherd, If I truly believe He is Jehovah Jireh—my Provider, Then why am I living like scarcity has the final say? Rest isn't irresponsible. Stewardship isn't the same thing as self-neglect. Taking care of myself isn't a luxury God reserved for everyone else.

Sometimes Course Correction Looks Small

Understand that being in the messy middle doesn't mean you've failed at self-care. It means you're human. It means you've been prioritizing everyone else (again), working too much (again), and treating yourself like an afterthought (again). But here's the beautiful thing about the messy middle. You're still IN it. You haven't quit. You're still here, reading this, which means some part of you still wants to get back on track.

Here's what you don't need to do: start over. Small pivots, not complete restarts. Course correction rarely requires a complete life overhaul. Sometimes it simply sounds like: "I'm going to schedule that workout." "I'm finally taking one PTO day next month." "I'm going on that coffee date by myself." "I'm going for the walk." "I'm making the doctor's appointment." "I'm choosing myself today without apologizing for it." Those small decisions matter because they reflect that you believe you're worth caring for.

Grace Doesn't Mean Giving Up

One thing I've learned about growth is that grace isn't permission to quit. Grace is permission to begin again without shame and punishing yourself. Dont spend weeks replaying everything you didn't do. God isn't standing over us with a clipboard keeping track. You don't have to fix everything. You just have to make one small move back toward yourself.

Make peace with a different pace. He's inviting us back into rhythms that produce life. So if your New Year's intentions have gotten lost somewhere between January and July Welcome! You're in good company.

Now let's get back in the game. Not perfectly but intentionally one choice at a time. Becoming whole has never been about getting everything right. It's about continually returning to the life God is calling you to live.

Your July Action Plan

Alright, let's make this practical. Here's what you're going to do:

● Identify ONE goal you're ready to let go of (for now). Not forever. Just for now. Give yourself permission to release what's not serving you in this season.

●Double down on ONE thing that IS working. Even if it's small. Even if it feels insignificant. Whatever spark of self-care you've managed to keep alive, fan that flame.

●Be intentional. Give yourself grace. Get back in the game.

That's it, well most of it. You're Not Behind. You're Just in the Middle. The messy middle isn't a sign that you've failed. It's proof that you're still trying. You don't have to have it all figured out by August. You just have to take one step forward toward the goals.

The messy middle is where the real transformation happens. Not in the shiny beginning when motivation is high. Not at the end when you're celebrating the victory. Right here. In the middle. When it's hard and you do it anyway.

Let's Talk

What's one area you've struggled to stay intentional this year? Maybe it's your health. Maybe it's rest. Your relationship with God? How about finances, boundaries, or something completely different. Leave a comment and tell me your struggle. Let's have an honest conversation. No guilt. No pretending. Just women choosing to grow together.