Monthly Wrap-Up – August 2021

After just over a week’s break from blogging to spend time with family, I’m back with my monthly wrap-up for August 2021. I appreciate this might feel a little late. Normally I would have shared this last week, but as my sister and her boyfriend were over visiting I decided to take the whole week off so I could enjoy my time with them fully!

However, I am back now and raring to go! I feel really good about the progress I made last month in terms of reading. Picking up a book is becoming a habit again. This has been a benefit to me; I can’t overstate how important it is to take time out for yourself. After a record reading year, as well as moving house and studying for work, I was done. It’s very easy to overlook maintaining a healthy balance – and I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t do this last year. I scaled back this year to avoid burnout. The fact that I’m coming back and reading more regularly is a good sign that this has been effective.

 

Books Read

August‘s reading has been dominated by Harry Potter. Not only did I finish the fourth instalment of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but I also made significant progress with the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

If you’ve picked up or read either of these books, you’ll know they’re both chunky. As of the end of the month I was around halfway through HP and the Order of the Phoenix. That in its own right can equate to one or two books! It is a long one, but picking it up hasn’t been a challenge. Not only do I find the books really easy to read, but I don’t find their size intimidating. Maybe it’s because I’ve read them before, or because big books are my bag!

So it may not look like much progress on paper. But, given my recent track record, I’m really happy with how I’m progressing. In recent months picking up a book was something I had to do consciously. That might sound daft because I always do it consciously, but I had less motivation to do so. I wouldn’t say I quite had to talk myself into it, but it wasn’t a first instinct when asked what I wanted to do. Not only is that back, but I’m currently able to balance that with some other hobbies I’ve picked up along the way.

If you know me personally or follow me on Instagram, you may have seen the odd post here in there about knitting. In the absence of reading I’ve taken up this hobby. As you will see, I’ve come along way in a short space of time. For a time I think knitting became my substitute for reading. I needed something new and I do like a challenge! Now my interests are shifting to allow for both hobbies to coincide with each other… and that’s the kind of balance I like to see and I hope will continue! Here is my latest post on my Instagram feed me to give you an idea of the sort of things I’m doing right now: 

Blog Posts

In my monthly wrap-up posts I also like to share the blog posts that I have written and published during them up. That way, if you have missed any of my content and see something you like the look of, you will find a handy link here!

In addition to reading this month, I’ve also shared the following: – 

That’s all for me in today’s monthly wrap-up post for August.

Are there any good books you have picked up, or is there even something you’re currently reading that you would recommend? Have you picked up any new hobbies recently? Let me know in the comments!

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