JULY 2025 VIBE CHECK
I got a wild hair and was inspired to write a July 2025 “vibe check” - kind of like a general, energetic forecast for the month ahead.
But before we dive into what’s relevant for July, I think it’s important that we discuss what’s been going on in June, as that’s going to set up a clear context for us.
Let’s get into it.
It may not be universal, but June was a wicked difficult month that felt like sailing through extremely choppy waters for many. At a certain point, things got so intense that I decided to take a poll on Instagram and ask everyone “have you been crashing out since Sunday?”
About 80% of my audience said yes.
I too, was among the 80% who was having a difficult time, along with some of my closest friends. I also know of 3 separate couples that are getting divorced/separated, all of which were initiated during this period.
The common thread in all of this was total intolerance of suffering.
It was this feeling of being at your wits’ end, screaming “I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!” into the void. Hence those divorces I mentioned earlier…
Whatever was happening in June brought with it major death.
Death to the old operating system.
Death to the old life.
Death to the voluntary suffering.
Death to the complacency.
Death to the frustration.
Death to the things that you cannot live with any longer.
The good news is that being at your wits’ end also creates rapid change. (If you’ve taken Full Tilt, you know exactly what I’m talking about.)
“YOUR NEW LIFE”
Eventually, I broke through the atmosphere and shook off that intense period. As I’m sure you’ve experienced, one of the great things about being fed up is that it also brings profound clarity. Even if you don’t have all the details about what’s unfolding next, there is one thing that you’re absolutely certain of: you can’t keep doing that.
When I emerged from the fog of whatever the hell that was, one of the first things I did was write a 9 page syllabus just for myself and my life. One of the most fascinating things to come through the process was a clear shakeup in values and priorities - as the old ones were simply not working.
Shortly after writing the syllabus, I was chatting on the phone with my best friend and telling her about my day when she playfully (but seriously) said “it’s your new life.”
This brings me to the first energy of July: a new life.
Cliche as it may be, a new life is not forged by circumstances as much as you may think! Circumstantial factors have an impact of course, but we often get the ratios wrong. Your brain would like you to believe that circumstances are responsible for 95% of your life and attitude is 5%.
I like to think this is because our brain is greedy and needs projects. When your brain is convinced that circumstances are a perpetual problem to be solved or fixed… your brain is hard at work! Without perpetual problems, your brain would feel like it’s “out of a job” so to speak.
Even though you and I both know that you would prefer that your circumstances not feel like a problem, your brain hates the idea of unemployment! Joy, satisfaction, and appreciation simply aren’t “meaty” enough for the brain to enjoy long term. Here’s the thing…
When you obey the mind and disregard the soul for too long, your soul suffers.
This is why, when you listen to the whispers of your mind telling you that your new, better, shinier life will begin “once that circumstance changes,” it’s a trap! Your brain is bullshitting you! Once you solve that problem your brain will move the goal posts once again, just so it can stay employed.
Your brain is like a fraudulent dentist who keeps telling you that you have more and more cavities that need to be filled. Oh, and he also diagnosed you with periodontal disease so now you need to come in quarterly for those special deep cleanings…
He doesn’t care about your teeth! He’s busy saving up for another vacation home on your dime!
Anyway, the point is, stop letting your brain rob you and start giving it real projects so everybody wins. When you give your mind meaningful things to do today, right now, it will be able to shut down the fraudulent dental practice.
See, your new life begins with your choices, not your circumstances.
What are you choosing to do?
How are you choosing to respond?
Are you choosing this or that?
A simple choice that will change your life (that I’ve been talking about for years) is the choice to not numb. Intentionally feed your mind with enriching, uplifting things. When you feel the urge to numb out of compulsion, choose something else!
If your obsessions, patterns, or old behaviors aren’t working, choose something else.
Your new life is a choice away, the only question is if you’ll take it.
REPLENISHMENT
Now let’s move on to the second theme of July… replenishment.
Do you know that blonde guy who’s a sleep expert? Dr. Matthew Walker. He’s a neuroscientist, and one of the things he says is that you can’t “catch up” on sleep. Being deprived of sleep doesn’t magically go away when you sleep in for a few days. Sleep is something you need to have dialed in consistently.
Replenishment is the exact same.
Have you ever worked yourself to smithereens, and when you finally get a break, it feels like you’ll need an entire month for your energy to be replenished again? No matter how much frilly self care you do, it seems like it’s all done in vain, like it’s not making a dent in your depletion…
It feels like an impossible situation.
But it’s not!
This issue stems from consistently delaying replenishment.
“I’ll do that after work.”
”After I finish this.”
”After I do these 10,000 things for my child.”
”After I write this email.”
”After I call that person.”
”After…”
”After…”
“After…”
“After…”
And then it’s 10pm, and your “after” becomes “tomorrow” and “tomorrow” becomes “after.”
I want to be very clear: YOU CANNOT “CATCH UP” ON REPLENISHMENT.
Replenishment needs to be much, much closer to the top of the priority list at all times, otherwise the demands of your life will consume you.
The trick to successfully sustaining replenishment is interruption.
If you are unwilling to interrupt your to-do list and choose replenishment in the moment, you will discover that your “after” plans almost never happen.
There’s definitely a learning curve to this, but just pay attention to how often, and how quickly you neglect your need for replenishment in favor of tasking. Replenishment doesn’t take a long time, or require some elaborate self care regimen - you just have to be more efficient and timely with your application.
Pro tip for July and forevermore: beware of delaying replenishment.
IF YOU’RE SAYING “I’M BORED”
If your response to the previous segment was “yeah that doesn’t apply to me, I have tons of free time, I can do tons of self care whenever I want, I’m bored! I don’t need replenishment.”
My friend… you are mistaken.
Has it ever occurred to you that if you’re bored, then “self care” activities are not replenishing? Remember what I said, you have to be efficient and timely with your application. Part of that means knowing what exactly will replenish you when.
Kind of like discerning thirst from hunger.
Replenishment means you feel full, vital, and brimming with life force.
Would a nap replenish you immediately after a full 8 hours of sleep? Of course not, because the contrast is low.
Sometimes the most replenishing thing you can do is go on an adventure, take a risk, explore, get your blood pumping, give your boyfriend a wet willie, get out into the world! Befriend a stranger, pick up bowling, decide to get really good at it!
Shake things up.
Boredom is energetic stagnation, not a sign of replenishment.
At first you may not know what to do, so you’ll need to take some stabs in the dark. Eventually you’ll find a warm body…
I mean… eventually you’ll feel the energy pick up. You’ll need to do some experimenting to get the feel of it.
If this section resonated with you, then your work is to broaden your definition of replenishment. It’s not about the specific activities, it’s a matter of what gives you more energy, when.
So go do something fresh and make life exciting!
MORE
I’m dropping a pick-a-card reading for July in the group chat on July 1st.
A couple other updates I have for you: