We’re back! If you’re one of the fun ones who recently joined this Thursday party, I’ve returned from a June break. The first part of June was a series of break-a-leg type events, which were A-W-E-S-O-M-E if I were to do a cheer about them.

The second part of June was more of an actual birthday break. Mike, my hubby, surprised me with a trip to Santa Fe, NM, where we met YEARS ago! It was our first time back since we left in 2011. I’m still full from all the eats. Still jeal of my straight hair which needed zero styling or product because no humidity.

I began reflecting on this year’s big birthday in early June last year. I’m one of those lowkey birthday people until it’s my birthday, and wonder why no one has done anything high-key. I decided to take a new approach to this year. I’m embracing the number. I’m embracing my experience and who I am right now. And I’m embracing the reflection I did last year that helped me make some changes and ramp up and into this year.

It was a year ago I wrote my first “Sick Of” list. This list: the same but totally different than my Never Fails list.

I picked up my pen. I opened my journal. And I wrote down everything I was sick of.

Yesterday, feeling a little sluggish (could be the 98% dew point) or the summer blahs or no joke, still being full from New Mexican food, I was feeling kind of sick of a lot of stuff. I repeated the process from last year.

“What are you sick of, Erin?” She told me.

Some things poured right out. Some things built as I got the other ones out. Some were super dramatic. Some were trite. Some were silly. Some made me sit up straight and think WHOA I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

I got them all out.

I reviewed that list, feeling a little less sick of some things merely from having gone through the process. I reflected that some things, if I eliminated, would have a ripple effect on lots of other things, therefore eliminating lots of sick ofs.

Normally, I’m all about that greater than sign. Possibilities! Opportunities! Why not?! The vibe of the sick of might seem off.

Not true.

This list does not mean I’m not still living on the greater than sign of that equation.

In fact, the “Sick Of” list can make me call out my own BS, give myself a little look-see in the mirror, and consider what action I’m going to take.

As I contemplated the list, I filtered the items through a series of questions:

• Am I complaining about this because I’m bored and I’m being a drama queen, or do I want to do something about this?
• AM I really sick of this, or do I just think I should be?
• Am I willing to take action on this?
• Can I let this be…and, while it’s not ideal at the moment, give myself some grace and stop giving it sick-of-it energy?
• What am I hiding from/avoiding/putting off by doing these things I’m sick of? What’s REALLY going on?

You know. Just a casual light Wednesday morning journaling session. 😬

I’ll tell you what. There were patterns. There was progress celebrated from last year. There was a mirror held up. I have to say, while I AM sick of a fair amount of stuff, it’s all because I can see a cool new vision emerging.

I can see some glimmers of where I want to go in this next decade.

I can see what I’ve been doing isn’t going to take me there…so that sick of it indicator is a real call to smack myself out of it and take some action.

I’m going to do some more contemplating. Some more reflecting. I’m going to dabble with some ideas and plans and small actions and thinking that can take me down that path and shift from sick of to stoked about.

On the one hand, I’ve got time. (I’m sick of putting pressure on myself to get it all done yesterday, so writing that is already breaking free!) On the other hand, might as well put a little skip in my step to shift from the sick of to the stoked.

What’s on your list? You don’t have to share, I didn’t. 😉

I would be curious to know if you take a few minutes to work through the exercise. What came up for you? How did it make you feel? Do you notice any glimmers opening up?

Sometimes, we have to call out what’s going on to be able to move forward without the load.

This is now a yearly tradition.

Just like the first thing on my list will be the same this time of year.

I AM SICK OF THE HUMIDITY.