Hello August: The Rut, The Reset, and The Real Life Chaos…

I had every intention of hitting August like a vision board warrior—goal-set, healed, and hydrated. Instead? I’m crawling into this month with leftover sunscreen in my hair, 42 half-done to-do lists, and an attitude that ranges from “meh” to “don’t look at me unless you’re bringing tacos or therapy.”

The truth?

I’ve been in a rut. A deep, frustrating, can’t-get-my-crap-together kind of rut.

Mental health? Struggling.

Work? Overwhelming.

Self-care? Laughable.

The rest of life?….Moving on.

And trying to get the kids ready for school again? A three-ring circus featuring one exhausted ringmaster and no snacks left in the pantry.

I thought summer was supposed to be the break.

But if I’m being honest, it was just chaos in flip-flops.

Unstructured days, late bedtimes, endless messes, and zero alone time had me riding the edge of burnout like it was a beach wave I didn’t ask to catch.

And now here we are—August.

A new month. A new shot. A little breath before the school drop off and pick up line dramatics starts again and I start pretending I have a routine.

Here’s the thing no one talks about:

Sometimes you don’t come into a new month refreshed.

Sometimes, you come in tired.

Heavy.

Emotionally full but also weirdly empty.

You come in dragging your baggage behind you, whispering “okay but I’m still trying.”

And that counts. That matters.

I don’t need to reinvent myself this month.

I just need to keep showing up. For my kids. For my healing. For the version of me that’s still learning how to exist without burning out or burning bridges.

I’m not doing back-to-school “perfect.”

I’m doing it real.

With messy hair, leftover sweet tea, and a “that’ll do” attitude.

So if you’re also riding the line between “I’m fine” and “I’m freaking exhausted,” I see you.

Let’s give ourselves permission to be human.

Let’s stop aiming for perfect and start aiming for peace.

Let’s take this month one mascara-smudged meltdown at a time—and maybe, just maybe, pencil in a margarita or two for good measure.

Here’s to August.

Be gentle with us. We’re already doing the best we can.