A sweet spring in Cologne and in the US came to a close, June brought ripe strawberries, a heat wave, hay fever, relief that a couple critical medical procedures in the family seem to have been successful, and end-of-schoolyear, start of the summer, and birthday fests.
In this article I’ll wrap up the month of June and Quarter 2 and the first 6 months of 2025 as a whole as related to my own projects, life and events.
Part of my midyear refresh process, around the end of June (in the summer, 6 months in, conveniently after my birthday) I like to check in about my annual Stand and declarations. Many of these priority projects are part of my Twenty 25s, which I reflect on below, these being actions/habit/leading metric statistics of actions within my control. I take a peek at results and following metrics as relevant as well, such as students, clients, subscribers, followers, engagement, income, profit, and so forth. Then there are the special events, connections, and moments that make up the memories of a season.
Reflecting in this way provides inspiration and accountability.
What do you do to reflect, review, and refresh at midyear?
June Jaunts
June brought full Summer in Cologne and I basked in the warmth, as well as events such as:
- PRIDE Month, the Full Strawberry Moon, Loving Day, Father’s Day
- SIBMAS Building Bridges Symposium at the Tanzarchiv in Cologne and Theatermuseum in Duesseldorf, where I met a fellow University of Hawai’i at Manoa performing arts alumna and many other inspiring colleagues from around the world, and about which I shared on Instagram
- Lobby fuer Maedchen girls’ empowerment field trip for an elective class
- Birthday Strawberry Pecan Cake & cupcakes that I made, friends and fam, celebration and gifts, kick scooter (new summer ride!), summer reading, swallows and bats
- Dad’s procedure on 13th and other family health & medical issues
- 3 undetonated WWII Bombs were found in Cologne (as happens frequently during new construction projects), making for a suspenseful time until everyone was evacuated from the area and they were defused, but thankfully not explosive!
- SUMMER Solstice, for which I shared a new visualization and “Sunny Greetings” Poem and Yoga Practice
Because of its role in my creative process, journaling has become a part of my YouTube channel content along with dance, yoga, and joyful living. Here’s the update on what I got up to in my notebooks and life in June 2025:
Creative Challenges
My creative process supports me through it all, not just financially since that is my profession, but as a Teaching Artist, Choreographer, Movement Educator & Coach, I get to explore my soul’s expression, my Being.
Primarily through dance & movement, yes, but also through words of prose and poetry, on video, in collage, crafting, journaling, stamping, color, sketching in various media. Through creations and interactions in courses, discussions, workshops, coaching sessions, and community events.
Bullet Journaling & Planning
I shared my initial monthly setup in my Seasonal Book on Instagram here with shades of purple, strawberries, cupcakes and other favorite things, then the flip-through video above shows what happened with my goals, glows, media favorites, and events “after the pen.”
Updated my Monthly, Weekly, and Daily Logs, Annual Collections, and set up my July spreads over the course of the month, continued to savor writing my Morning Pages and notes with colorful inks in my fountain pens and savored the fresh shades of the changing season in nature and culture.
Teaching & Coaching
Regular Mindful Movement classes in Balletlicious Ballet Barre+ and Yummy Gentle Yoga, studio classes in Ballet continued, and my “Feel Good” wellness course and Hip Hop elective came to a close for the school year with a special field trip.
There is currently one coaching slot available in my weekly schedule, and in February I started planning upcoming offerings such as coaching sample sessions (message to schedule), workshops, and guest teaching in Cologne coming up.
Writing & Publishing Articles
In June I published 3 articles to the blog here at ablythecoach.com, bringing my Quarter 2 total to 7 and 6 Month total to 17. This is a great place to find out what I am up as well as other experts and creators who I recommend.
June’s new articles:
- How (and Why) to Take Dance Notes – Class, Rehearsal, Performance Writing to Grow & Create blog article: Research supports the efficacy of notetaking in supporting learning and creativity, now how do we put that into practice and actually make time and space to jot a few ideas down afterwards?
- April Adventures on 2 Continents & an Island – 2025 Month 4 Reflection blog article: April revelry took place on two continents and an island, was 50 percent “regular” teaching, creating, and normal publishing schedule and travel prep, 50 percent adventures in several places I feel at home: Portland, Oregon with dear friends like family and Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i with actual family and mentors.
- Good Day, Sunshine – Warm Greetings to Bask in Solar Energy at the Solstice & Through Mindful Movement & Meditation blog article: Tap into the radiant energy of long bright days, short nights (as well as tipping into times of shorter days), basking, glowing, radiance, enjoyment, savoring, bounty, nourishment, possibly also thriving, relaxation, rest, vacation, getting outside, energy and adventure. A ripe time for dance and sport intensives, camps, writing and creativity, and rich possibility for growth and breakthroughs! Shared my “Sunny Greetings” Poem & sun salutations yoga practice to go with it.
Filming & Sharing Videos
One of my biggest personal milestones was reaching 1,000 subscribers to the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel in Quarter 2! Was informed in May that I had surpassed the #1Kcreator mark, a much-anticipated early goal for folks who make videos.
Still learning the art and craft of teaching and sharing movement through this medium, but I’ve improved, developed my voice and message, grown from creating and engaging with people in this way.
I published 4 videos to the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel on the topics of dance, creativity, and purposeful living in June:
- Sunny Greetings Poem & Practice – Adaptive Yoga Sun Salutations / Surya Namaskars & Poetry, all ages video: In honor of the Summer Solstice, sent glowing warm greetings with a poem and yoga practice!
- Summer & Solstice Radiant Reflection – Vibrant Visualization, Meditation & Contemplation video: meditation to embrace abundant early harvest, juicy berries, ripe fruits, long days, short nights tipping into shorter days, high summer in the Northern hemisphere, basking, glowing, radiance, enjoyment, savoring, nourishment, thriving, (maybe) relaxation, rest, vacation, getting outside, energy, adventure, bounty
- How & Why to Take Dance Class, Rehearsal, & Performance Notes – transforming ideas into growth video: Research supports the efficacy of notetaking in supporting learning and creativity, now how do we put that into practice and actually make time and space to jot a few ideas down afterwards?
- 4+ Flavorful Four Forms – Pretty Pretzels adaptive Hip Stretches for dance, sport & life video: These 4+ flavorful & fun “Figure Four” / “Four Form” hip stretches are ideal after or between dance sessions.
These videos brought my Quarter 2 total to 12, and midyear 25, right around where I want to be.
My most popular video of Quarter 2 was Slow Foot O’s – Mindful Ankle Circles Dance Cross-Training, Injury-Prevention & Joyful Movement and accessible and enjoyable dance experiences continue to be an important part of the mindful movement and creative living content that I share.
Connecting: Email & Social Media
The best way to keep up-to-date on everything I’m coaching, teaching, creating and sharing about as well as work from others that I believe to be of value for fellow creatives is to subscribe to my weekly email newsletter. It lights me up to see new subscribers there as well as responses to me missives.
I sent 4 Email Newsletters in June, for a total of 11 in Q2, 24 in the first half of 2025:
- Jaunting through June, How to take Notes for Dance, a Performing Arts Symposium, late spring creative things
- Sunny Greetings poem & yoga practice, reflecting on April while embracing the transition to Summer
- Glowing Summer Solstice Greetings, reflecting on radiance & solar celebrations
- Flavorful Figure Fours, Birthday Joy, more on Dance Notes, savoring Summer
In addition, I posted 10 times to Instagram, bringing my Quarter 2 post count to 28 and midyear to 44.
Midyear Highlights
In 2025 so far, I am proud of my contributions to special events of my own initiative and others’, adulting and facing scary situations, enjoying life:
- Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February) collaborator for the 3rd year in a row, see the need in my students more than ever
- International Women’s Day (March) collaborator for the 2nd time, and for which I also published an article, Accelerate Action – Celebrate International Women’s Day with A Blythe Coach, along with other visibility efforts and ongoing Female Empowerment work with my well-being elective course, local organizations & resources
- World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (April) set up in Kailua-Kona and participated in the global event
- West Hawai’i Dance Theatre’s production of “The Wizard of Oz Ballet” at the Kahilu Theatre was delightful, and I had the honor of serving as Emcee again
- Fine Feedback Workshop at WHDT (April) equipped dancers and choreographers with tools to distinguish constructive, empowering criticism, helping them dodge hate and instead appreciate and advocate for performing arts
- International Coaching Week (May), for which I created a Coaching Toolkit YouTube Playlist full of transformative tools
- Gay PRIDE (June), celebrating Gender Nonconformity, Safe(r) Spaces
- Spring & Summer sensations, some of my absolute favorite flavors (sights, smells…) to savor
- Travel adventures in Germany & the US (PDX, KOA), time with Ela, Family and Friends
Word of the Year
“Float” I have seen in action in air travel, professional opportunities opened by previous and ongoing creations, and in a sense of presence, ease, and trust.
Sometimes I’m still flapping wildly in order to fly, but increasingly there are times of soaring, even effortlessness.
Twenty 25s in 2025
Above is my video update on my “Twenty 25s,” a playful way to track various leading metrics, projects and activities I wish to keep an eye o this year.
Since some of the actions are daily, I reached 25 actions in the month of January (BuJo Spreads, Classes Taught, Daily Logs, Deutsch, Gratitude & Abundance, Yoga Practice Sessions, Meditation, Morning Pages), bringing my Quarter 1 total to 8/20 “25s.”
In Quarter 2 I completed another 3 “25s,” so at the midyear point I’m at 11/20, over halfway there! Particularly behind on actions towards: Coaching Sessions, Pieces of Choreography, Music practices, and Letter-writing, but will keep going.
Media Musings
My June in reading, listening, and viewing pleasures:
Books & Reading
Books Read
In Quarter 2 I completed reading 7 books, bringing my midyear count to 12.
For June, I appreciated this article about Books to read for PRIDE month from Brit+Co and read a couple works of queer fiction myself.
I completed 2 novels in June from the Feminine Pursuits romance series by Olivia Waite:
- The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, where I particularly enjoyed the publishing, art, and nature themes and the middle-aged main characters with a slow-build connection (but could do without the steamy scenes)
- The Hellion’s Waltz, where musical and fashion design themes were stunning
Still reading along on some of my nonfiction picks (also scripture, personal growth):
- Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib
- Someday is Today by Matthew Dicks
- 365 Poems for Life: An Uplifting Collection for Every Day of the Year collected by Allie Esiri
Listening Highlights
Favorite things heard over the course of the month go here, such as concerts, songs, pieces of music, playlists, podcasts and more.
Music: Songs, Playlists & Albums
- Balletlicious Summertime Dance on YouTube is the playlist of the season in ballet classes and everywhere I move!
- “Worst Behavior” by kwn ft. Kehlani: the video made us laugh at first, but got to be a catchy ear worm
- “Bodies” Tycho Remix is very danceable
- International music I might not have heard if it weren’t for a 5th & 6th Grade Hip Hop choreography collaboration this semester: “Mona Lisa Motion” by ZAH1DE, “Sigma Boy” by Betsy & Мария Янковская, and “Nivelul ulmator” by Iuliana Beregoi
Monthly Viewing Highlights
Mostly faves from June with a few quarterly standouts, I plan to select my top influences annually.
Series
Out and about this month, didn’t catch any new films, but had a couple standout series.
- Job of Job’s Journal on YouTube introduced me to “The Residence” comedy murder mystery miniseries with birdwatching and notebook nerdery, right down my alley!
- Checking out a new season of “And Just Like That”
- Working on OG “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and
- “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” has got us now
Questions for Reflection
- What went on for you during June, Quarter 2 and the first half of the year?
- Which projects you bringing forward as priorities in the second half of the year?
- What will you let go of and what rituals of release can refresh you for the upcoming period?
- How do you create safe spaces for yourself and others?
- What do you most enjoy in the transition from spring to summer?
Resources for Further Exploration
- Float in 2025 – Word / Intention of the Year Article
- Twenty 25s in 2025: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style Article
- April Adventures on 2 Continents & an Island – 2025 Month 4 Reflection Article
- May Replay – 2025 Month 5 Reflection Article
- Leaps & Bounds in 2024 – Reflecting on a Year’s Highs & Lows Article
- March was for Mindfulness & Women’s History – 2024 Month 3 Review & Quarter 1 Wrap-up Article this time last year
- Quantum Leaping into 2024 Word of the Year Article
- Twenty-Four 24s in 2024 Article
- Say the Magic Words Article
- Analog Journals for Creativity Article
Further monthly reflections for 2025, special workshops and collaborations in dance, coaching, creative living and more coming soon.
Thank you for reading, for being, and for dancing with me, in spirit or in fact!
Take care of yourself and keep moving mindfully, let me know how if I can be of service, would love to see you in my email newsletter or on social media as well.
Blythe Stephens, MFA & Bliss Catalyst
they/them or she/her
Creator of A Blythe Coach @ablythecoach
helping multi-passionate creatives dance through their difficulties,
taking leaps of faith into fulfillment through coaching, yoga & dance education