It doesn’t seem possible that 2024 is half over. Where did the first half of the year go? June was an eventful month for me as it was my last month of work before retirement. In addition to my goals update, my June 2024 roundup has insightful posts on friendship apps, the dog-eat-dog world, and lessons from farming.

Happy reading!

Cool things I read in June

Since publishing my first monthly roundup at the end of 2020, it has been an honour to introduce you to some of my favourite bloggers. I started the roundup to say thank you to the blogging community and bring attention to talented writers who create inspiring and informative content.

Here are three pieces that caught my eye last month.

Ditching Dating Apps for Friendship Apps – Unwanted Life

With a growing body of evidence about the impact of loneliness on our physical and mental health, could friendship apps help fill the void? This insightful post explores this question and offers suggestions on ways to build connection.

Simply put, friendship apps are designed to help you connect with like-minded people for friendship and companionship, offering a refreshing change from the romantic focus of dating apps.

Unwanted Life, Ditching Dating Apps for Friendship Apps

The dog-eat-dog world – Frank J. Peter

This short but powerful piece discusses rejecting the ugly competitiveness of the world. Well worth reading and reflecting!

Experience has taught me again and again that I only truly win when my victory requires no one else to lose.

Frank J. Peter, The Dog-Eat-Dog World

Three things farming taught me – The Kitchens Garden on Substack

In this entertaining and thought-provoking post, Cecilia shares six (not three) lessons she’s learned in her 25 plus years of being a farmer. Practical advice for all of us!

I am not the farmer’s wife. I am the farmer. In fact, I object to the term wife! Let alone farmers wife.

Cecilia, Three things farming taught me

What I wrote in June

In case you missed any of them, here are the new posts I published in June here on Boomer Eco Crusader.

• The Sunday Spark – A portfolio of friends and connections
• Nature documentaries to grow your knowledge – A Climate Change Collective post
• The Sunday Spark – Retiring on my own terms
• The Sunday Spark – Nuggets of wisdom from Dad
• Take a look at these environmental learning resources
• The Sunday Spark – Family time is rare and precious
• Are you ready for Plastic Free July 2024?
• The Sunday Spark – My first day of retirement

And here are the posts I wrote in June for Wise & Shine.

• Breaking the cycle of overachievement
• The value of work friendships
• Sprinkling a little kindness into our world
• In praise of wasted time

Plus, as I revisit my 52-Weeks of Decluttering Challenge, I refreshed and republished these posts.

• Week 22 – Laundry room
• Week 23 – Linen closet
• Week 24 – Mud room/Front entranceway
• Week 25 – China cabinet
• Week 26 – Bedroom surfaces and halfway update

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Let’s keep in touch! Join my mailing list and I’ll email you when I add a new post.

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June goals – How did I do?

June was an eventful month for me as it was my last month of work before retirement and both of our daughters were home for a week mid-month. As a result, it was a mixed month on the goals front. Let’s take a look.

Fitness

Once again, I set goals of 180 minutes of exercise a week, including 2 strength training sessions. And I continued my goal of adding a short balance or flexibility routine 5 times a week.

The month was a complete bust on the fitness front. I managed a weekly average of just 98 minutes of exercise, 0.5 strength training sessions, and 1.25 balance sessions.

Reading

I met my goal of reading 3 books in June. Here’s what I read this month:

• Achievement Addict by Rose Lounsbury
• Project Unlonely by Jeremy Nobel
• The Uninvited by Heather Graham

Reinvention/Second Life

I did it! I retired at the end of June. My Second Life has begun.

Decluttering

Again, I set a goal to declutter 50 items. Decluttering momentum picked up this month. I managed to exceed this goal with a total of 79 items.

My July goals

July will be a month of new beginnings and establishing a new routine now that I don’t have the daily pressure of work.  

• Fitness goals: I’ll be on vacation for part of the month, so I’m switching things up a bit on the fitness front in July. My goal is to either work out or walk at least 30 minutes every day.
• Reading: Read 4 books.
• Reinvention/Second Life:
  • Establish a new morning routine.
  • Plan my Second Life Vision website.
• Decluttering: Declutter 50 items.
• Personal development: Prepare my presentation on Age-friendly Workplaces for the conference I’m attending in September.

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Thanks for dropping by to check out my June 2024 roundup. How did the first half of the year go for you? Drop me a comment below to let me know.