June 2025: Embracing Waves of Progress

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June felt like a dance between challenge and breakthrough, managing fibromyalgia flare-ups and health concerns, not to mention multiple Dr. visits, often left me low on energy, yet I also crossed major creative milestones. This month I learned, again, that growth doesn’t travel in straight lines. Instead, it moves in waves, moments of quiet rest woven with flashes of productivity and insight. Let’s explore how leaning into rest, celebrating small wins, and holding space for self-compassion can fuel lasting creativity and resilience.

Emotional & Physical Check-In

I entered June bruised by fatigue, pain, tingling in my extremities, and the emotional heaviness of chronic illness. Anxiety and brain fog often tagged along, making even starting the day feel like a slog. But then, there were mornings after a restful night where clarity arrived like sunrise, simple tasks felt easier, ideas surfaced, and motivation followed.

In those low-energy moments, I leaned on small acts of kindness: short walks in nature, 10-minute exercise bursts, and breathing through brain fog without judgment. These became lifelines. Slowly, I began to cultivate acceptance, recognizing some days will feel small, and that’s okay. Self-compassion became a daily practice, not an occasional indulgence.

Major Milestones & Wins

First journal live on Amazon KDP & Gumroad. It’s still sinking in, my first journal published, available to share and sell. It’s more than a product; it’s the culmination of creative courage and follow-through. This one milestone, refueled my motivation and excitement for creating this business and blog more than any other win I had in June!
Toolkit ideas drafted for my subscription program. I’ve laid the foundation. It’s raw and real, but full of purpose and potential. My original launch date has been postponed due to my health and energy challenges, but it’s still in the works. More to come on this in the future.
Balanced plan established, alternating between KDP journal creation, blog writing, and toolkit development for consistent progress.
Product database built in Notion. This centralized repository now holds every journal idea, toolkit draft, and launch plan, a calm dashboard amidst the chaos. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m slowly learning to implement this into my workflow.
Sustainable exercise routine launched. Daily 10-minute movement and nature walks became anchors, even on low-energy days.

June Publishing Highlights: Clearing the Drafts Folder

A big part of June’s momentum came from finally hitting publish on several posts that had been patiently waiting in my draft’s folder. Topics ranged from gentle productivity to values-based planning and creative project pacing, each one a reflection of my evolving journaling practice and business journey. If you’re looking to catch up on what I’ve shared, here are a few of the most read and resonant posts from this past month:

(Plus many more on the TJSM Studios Blog!)

These posts include several free downloadable tools, planning templates, journaling prompts, and printable worksheets, so feel free to browse through and download what speaks to you.

Lessons Learned & Transformational Insights

Rest is productivity’s soil. When I honor restful states, creative energy blooms more freely.
Progress > perfection. Quieting my inner critic opened space for action, even if imperfect.
Journaling remains my touchstone. It tracks patterns, soothes overwhelm, and points toward next steps.
Business + health require adaptive self-kindness. I’m learning to tweak strategies without shame when flare-ups hit.

Practical Tips & Tools (What I’m Using)

Meaning Aligner Technique: Each morning, I choose one task that will make the day feel meaningful. Later, I journal how it landed. Blog post coming soon to share this practice.
Short movement bursts + Pomodoro timers: Balanced task flow and energy pacing, especially on foggy days.
Notion as my command center: Projects, ideas, and launches all live here, visible but never overwhelming.
Nature + movement rituals: Even 5 minutes outdoors or a stretch or some gentle rebounding reset my mind and body.

Looking Ahead: July Intentions

Here’s what I’m setting my sights on next month:

Finish remaining journal covers + upload more prompted journals.
Launch the first toolkit in my subscription program. – This has been pushed back to honor my current health and energy flare-up, to allow more time to plan and build valuable products.
Run targeted marketing campaigns for KDP journals, starting small, learning big.
Continue refining pacing & self-care protocols, especially around flare days.
Explore Skool as a potential platform for my subscription program and community building.

I’m also close to catching up on my backlog of blog drafts, and by mid-July, I expect to resume my regular cadence of three new posts per week. Writing consistently again feels like a return to rhythm, and I’m excited to keep sharing tools, reflections, and small steps forward with you.

Let’s Connect: Reader Prompts

What’s been your biggest challenge balancing creativity and health this month?
How do you celebrate small wins when motivation feels sparse?
What self-care habits help you keep moving forward?

Reply in the comments or email, I’d truly love to hear your stories and reflections.

Parting Thoughts & Next Steps

Remember: progress isn’t linear. Every quiet day, every small step forward, they all matter. If you’re not already part of my newsletter, I’d love for you to join. I share reflections, new insights, and exclusive early peeks at journals. You can also follow me on Instagram for daily micro-reflections and community connection.

If you’re looking to dive deeper, check out my blog archive for more on pacing, creativity, business with chronic illness, and thriving in the everyday. Progress isn’t perfection, it’s persistence, one gentle step at a time.

Cheers to July, and all the small waves we make together. 🤍

Let’s Connect

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