the plan - august 2026

how I'm taking care of myself this month

I didn’t think I could’ve had a harder month than March.

July really said “hold my wine. Hell, hold the whole bottle.”

This month was terrible. One of my best friends from college passed away suddenly. Hosting a family reunion for my mom’s 75th birthday took a major toll on me, and I stupidly tackled some major home projects before my mom’s major surgery next week.

All of this, and in my birthday month no less.

Here’s July, by the numbers:

• 22 meditations

• 16 journal entries

• 6 strength workouts, 4 runs

• 13 books read (and all of them excellent)

  • The Red Woman on Mars and Lunar Rendezvous scratched my sci-fi itch (just in time for the new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds).

  • Formula Zero was the perfect bridge from sci-fi into sports books. I devoured Nailed at Home Plate, Please Don’t Go (a recommendation from Nisha Sharma), and Keeping Score.

  • The Windsor Affair was a bit of an aberration, but I have some royal-ish books on my TBR (The Kennedys and the Windsors, Royal Spin). I’m still chasing the feeling I got from The Heir Apparent.

  • Ungodly Rich was such a fun spin on Greek mythology set in modern times.

  • The best novel I read was Crash Into Me by Robinne Lee - worth the years long wait after The Idea of You. It’s a very different book, and an excellent one. For non-fiction, it was Parks and Rec (my favorite leadership books are the ones about successful TV shows, and I took so many notes from this one).

My goal for July was to precharge a bit for an intense August (mom’s major surgery, the move back to the city and getting the kids ready for school, prepping for a busy fall at work).

Instead, I’m heading into the month feeling depleted, numb, and a shell of myself.

There’s no meditating/saunaing/journaling/fitness-ing my way out of this. There’s only taking the next step, and the one after that, and the one after that. Baby steps, through this chapter.

Here’s to surviving August, the best we can.

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downshifting my routines

• I don’t have it in me to meditate or journal right now. But I can fire up an Activation (simply picking one from the home screen) and letting it play while I lie in bed a little bit longer, or sip the coffee that my husband brings me in the morning.

• I don’t have it in me to write out my to-do list every morning (or even the night before). But I can rely on my morning brief in Littlebird, and updating the routine to be more proactive in scanning my inbox and drafting replies, planning out my day based on a morning yap session on how I’m actually feeling, and capturing my brain dumps and turning them into plans for my future self to tackle.

  • I’m truly obsessed with Littlebird. You can use code PVH5W6DX for a 2 month free trial.

• I really don’t have it in me to work out right now, but I always annoyingly feel better once I do. If I can’t stick with my planned workout routine (below), I can do my go-to Melissa Wood Health flow (I also love this one), or go for a walk with an audiobook (because I can’t do silence right now).

• My appetite and diet are so messed up right now. All I can commit to is a cup of Greek yogurt in the mornings with a tablespoon of chia seeds - something is better than nothing, and we all need that fiber and protein.

• My evening wine has been a crutch that I need to stop leaning on. The solution is obvious - just decline that glass when my dad offers it.

• My schedule is not my own from August 6-13 (when my mom is in the hospital). With an hour-plus drive each way, I’m going to relax any expectations when it comes to my routines or habits during that week.

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August’s workout plan

I only managed to get in 7 lifts in July, so I’m going to continue Robin’s 3 day advanced strength split in August (assuming I’ll hit another 7-8 lifts). I did get in some good runs in July, and want to keep a weekly run in my routine (failing that, a walk).

If you’d like to try Peloton, my link gives you a 60 day free trial.

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what I’m watching and reading

The new seasons of Ted Lasso and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds couldn’t have come at a better time. Yes, please. We’ve been watching The Dragon Prince on Netflix with the boys, and it’s honestly been my favorite new (to me) show this year. It is excellent, and I’m sad that we’re nearly finished it.

Reading Parks & Rec had me re-watching the episodes mentioned in each chapter, and it’s been a needed joy trigger. I’d forgotten how brilliant and hopeful this show is (and Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s book is just excellent).

I like to save my F1 romances for the sport’s silly season (which is this month). I’ve been looking forward to Ana D’Arcy’s First In Line since she announced it, and I’ve had The Paddock Club on my TBR for months. I highly doubt I’ll read 13 books again this month (or any other month this year), and that’s fine. I thoroughly enjoyed every single one I read in July.