Happy June! It is kind of amazing to think we are at the half way mark of 2025. It blows my mind how quickly time can go and I swear most of my time is worrying about how to pay my bills. I always have these plans at the beginning of the year to keep my blog going, write so many novels, read so many books, and get super healthy.

Does it ever work out that way?

Nope.

I spend so much time worried about bills that I end up making things harder on myself. I stress to the point where I am spending more money on junk food than necessary and wasting good food that I had already bought at the grocery store. The poor diet and stress causes me to be too tired to do anything but sit around and stare at the walls. The stress also causes sleep to become almost impossible.

Good news!

I have beat a few of the stressors. I know that I will figure out my finances eventually, I always do. I have stopped stressing over sleep because I have the opportunity at work to take a nap during lunch of breaks. Also, if I were to lay my head down because I am just too tired to function, my coworker would keep an eye out for me. We look out for each other.

I have also started spending an hour or so a night working on a novel. The current project is at 14,000 words. It’s the most I have really written all year and I am determined to finish the first draft of this book before August. I would like to finish it before the end of June, but I am not going to put such a short deadline on myself, it will only add to the stress.

I have also read 11 books this year and since I didn’t even read 5 books last year, I must say I am doing really well. I have felt my love for reading flood back in and I am so excited to get back to doing a few short book reviews. I have a NetGalley account and was just approved to read an ARC that will be published by Harper Collins!

The moral of this story is…it took me this long to get my ish together. But here we are! I am getting it together and working hard on it. Hopefully by my birthday in August I will have it even more together. Fingers crossed.

Here is a picture of my adorable pup! Who has also taken up a lot of my time this year, but she has been so worth it! She is finally able to sleep in the bed with me at night. She now only has to be in her kennel when I am at work and that is for her own safety. She eats everything, so I have to keep a close eye on her. She may be helping me lose weight.

How is your year going? How many books have you read? Are you working on any writing projects or art projects?