Here in the states, we just celebrated the Fourth of July, the holiday that marks the adoption of our Declaration of Independence established in 1776. Parades, street fairs, backyard BBQs, and picnics are just a few fun events people participated in, followed by firework displays that showered the dark evening skies amazing spectators of all ages. Named after Julius Caesar, July is here. Welcome! In Southern California that means the mercury is rising, and the mornings of May gray and June gloom are mostly behind us. Yay! It’s the perfect time for hanging out at the beach, watching a classic movie outdoors, and camping under the stars. In season now, zukes, cukes, and corn accompany main dishes and grace our tables. Apricots, plums, and peaches are at their best and sit in bowls ready to be snacked on anytime. This new month not only brings all of these joys, but also my next self-care activity. New to me, it’ll have me going to the wall. More about that in a bit, but first I’ll tell you about last month’s creative experience.
Drawing on my love of art, in June I dedicated time each day to putting pencil, pen, or brush to paper. Using my “5-Minute Art Journal” as a guide, I had a blast expressing myself in creative ways! I liked the prompts that sparked my imagination, such as writing a haiku, illustrating a cityscape skyline, and drawing what Hygge means to me. While I could use inks, watercolors, markers or other art supplies, I most often selected my colored pencils. They were easy to grab and with 72 shades, what fun it was to color everything in a variety of hues!
From my art journal: June 9, 2025, Newbury Park, California
Haiku 5-7-5 syllables
Outside My Window
A misty gray day
Change is in the cool fresh air
Mid-morning sunshine.
In addition to the art itself, taking breaks and shifting gears even for a short periods of time offered welcome resets in my busy days. No surprise, the five minutes I set aside always turned into more! One day I spent over a half-hour designing and shading a Desert scape. So relaxing! Taking five was great for practicing mindfulness as I focused only on what I was creating. And perhaps best of all, this experience has reminded me that it’s the quality, not quantity of time spent that counts most.
From my journal: June 12, 2011, Newbury Park, California
“Sorer today than yesterday…the movements weren’t hard…just small, repetitive, intense…”
Years ago, I took a few Mat Pilates classes. As I wrote in my journal, it wasn’t difficult to do, meaning I could easily follow along, but wow, did I feel the results of those precise movements that engaged each and every muscle in my body! This method of exercise was developed by Joseph Pilates, a German-American personal trainer, writer, and inventor, who served as an orderly in a hospital during WWI. While there he devised a series of movements to help patients regain their health. In 1926, he and his wife Clara, opened their first Pilates studio in NYC. It became a go-to for dancers recovering from injuries and those wanting to improve their techniques. Pilates studios are very popular and in the last few years, five have popped up in our town alone! Most teach full body conditioning on a reformer which is a large piece of equipment like a padded table with springs, pulleys, ropes, and a sliding carriage that allow one to adjust resistance.
I like the idea of giving Pilates another go, so this month at least three times a week, I will engage in this type of exercise. But instead of taking a Mat Pilates class or joining a studio, I’m trying Wall Pilates. Several people have mentioned it lately, so I did some research and will give this isometric training a try.
And for less than $14, I purchased Wall Pilates Workouts for Women by Sophy Harrington. It includes easy-to-understand photos and instructions, as well as 50 video tutorials, and a 28-day workout plan. I am familiar with most exercises presented such as squats, lunges, leg raises, crunches, planks, and even the bridge pose I learned practicing yoga. The novel part is doing these exercises against a wall. In this do-at-home version of traditional Pilates, the wall is used for resistance, stability, and support.
Now I’m all set to get started, and I’m looking forward to improving my overall body strength, flexibility, and balance by doing these low impact movements with my back, or in some cases, my feet…up against the wall!
A Journal Journey 