( .. For the Soul, Not the Algorithm)

Something shifts when July arrives.. soft, drizzly, and just a little wistful.. The skies have dimmed, the scent of wet earth hangs in the air, and jasmines bloom quietly in corners. It’s the dreamy halfway point of the year — a gentle pause that invites slow mornings, tea by the window, and the sound of rain tapping on rooftops.. The heat has eased, finally, and that familiar monsoon hush is here.

Or .. Maybe I’m still processing We Were Liars (that twist? I’m not okay 💔), sitting by my window, watching the rain trace gentle patterns on the glass, with my giant Starbucks mug in hand. July feels like the season finale of summer, as the monsoon slowly takes over the scene..

But I’m here for the coziness, the quiet moments, and the soft, early whispers of the BER months. 🍂☕

If you’re like me.. craving a bit of routine after the holiday chaos, slightly overstimulated from all the noise, feeling a little wobbly from too much people-ing… then yep, this one’s for us. 🌿✨

Here’s your July Slow Living To-Do List🌿🍃

🚶‍♀️ 1. Walk Your Stress Away

After my mountain trip, I took a long break from walking and workouts. And honestly? I felt it.. not just physically, but emotionally too.

Walking’s never really been about exercise for me.. it’s how I clear my head and return to myself..

This July, I’m slipping back into my walking shoes.. not to achieve anything, but to reconnect. To feel the rhythm of my own breath. To move energy and emotion through me.

Even 15 minutes in the morning or evening can feel like luxury.

Walk to remember who you are.

🌱 2. Learn Something New.. But Make It Gentle

Don’t push yourself into hustle mode. Just let your mind stretch.. gently, curiously.

Maybe it’s a podcast during your commute. A new recipe. A new word in a journal. A short video on something beautiful and useless and wonderful.

Let learning feel like a privilege, not a pressure.

A slow-growing mind is still a blooming one. 🌿📚

🕯️ 3. Romanticise Your Mornings or Evenings

You know that feeling when the tea’s boiling ☕, the house is quiet, and the sunlight’s just starting to peek in ? That’s the kind of morning I’m talking about.. Open a window, let the air in 🍃 and ease into the day.. like it’s waiting for you, not the other way around.

And when evening rolls in , don’t just crash. Dim the lights, light a candle 🕯️or fairy lights, spritz your favourite linen mist (mine’s lemongrass lately 🍋), and let your space feel calm again.

It’s not about being fancy.. it’s about making the everyday feel a little more yours. 💛

📴 4. Disconnect From Technology (Create Sacred Digital Gaps)

There is something exquisitely powerful about not being reachable all the time.

This month, create sacred gaps in your day:

No phone for 30 minutes after waking.

No scrolling during meals.

An hour of pure presence : every single day.

Your nervous system is not built for constant input.

Give it the silence it’s secretly begging for. 🧘‍♀️📵

🧺 5. Declutter One Small Space

Not the whole house. Not the entire closet.

Just one little corner.. your nightstand, your skincare shelf, your inbox.

Wipe it down. Light a candle nearby.

Let it breathe.. and feel how you breathe better too.

Small shifts hold big energy.

🧘‍♀️ 6. Pause Midday for a Ritual Reset

At some point each day.. maybe after lunch, or just before the afternoon lull.. pause.

Close your eyes. Place one hand on your heart. Breathe in deeply. Exhale longer than you think you need to.

You don’t need a full meditation to reset.

Sometimes, one honest breath is enough. 🌸🌬️

📺 7. Watch Something That Warms Your Inner World

My next watch will be rewatching Summer I Turned Pretty .. because the final season is dropping soon in July, and I just need to be ready. 😌

It’s the 28th of June as I sit editing this blog… This series feels like a warm breeze from the past.. nostalgic, tender, and perfectly tucked between memories we hold dear and the ones we’re still chasing.

If you’re craving a soft escape that feels like growing up all over again, this is it..or whatever your soft escape is !!

So Rewatch it. Watch it for the first time. Just let yourself feel something beautiful. 💖📺🍑

It feels like sitting on the porch of a version of myself I forgot.

Choose a series or film that makes you feel. That softens you. That reminds you what it means to long, love, and begin again.

🛏️ 8. Create a Luxurious Night Routine (Even if It’s 10 Minutes)

Let night be a ceremony.

Spray your pillow with lavender or lemongrass or rose mist. Moisturise slowly. Use Face Serum. Slip into fresh pyjamas. Play ambient sounds. Journal or read my blog 😉 ..

Make going to bed feel like slipping into a dream. 🛏️🌙

🌿 9. Do Absolutely Nothing for 17 Whole Minutes

Set a timer. Put the phone down.

No music. No multitasking. No productivity hacks. Just you… sitting… existing… like a confused houseplant. 🪴

Stare at the ceiling. Watch a fan spin.Listen to a bird yell in the distance.

Let your brain defrost from modern life.

Because in July, doing nothing is an act of rebellion.

🌼 10. Notice the Ordinary Magic Around You

This is your greatest task of all.

Notice the way your tea steams. The rhythm of rain. The sound of your own laughter. The comfort of folding laundry slowly.

Because joy doesn’t always arrive in grand gestures.

Most of the time, it knocks gently on your everyday life. ✍🏼🍃

💛You don’t need to reinvent yourself this July.🍃

Slow living isn’t laziness. It’s luxury.

It’s in your quiet cup of tea before the world wakes up.. The evening walk you almost skipped, but didn’t..

Small things. Real things. The good stuff.

This July, let it be a reminder: You don’t need a complete makeover. You just need a softer pace and a little more presence.

Breathe. Sip. Stretch. Smile.

With a full heart & a half-warm tea,

Love, Dolly ☕🌿

☕🌸☕🌿☕🌸☕🌿☕🌸☕🌿

If you’d like to revisit my past Monthly To-Do Lists, they’re waiting for you just below.. quiet, gentle, and still right on time.

🌞 June Slow Living To-Do List