Where we're at. Five months into my gap year and I've finally accepted that a great build week and a great workout week almost never happen at the same time. Working on it. More below.
Who am I again? I am Brett Bejcek. I live by my top values of Exploration, Iteration, and Connection. Exploration is what I do; I do it through iteration; and I do it to create more connection. I am prioritizing physical health, building community, and cultivating creativity.
Fun Metrics. A peek into my life: some tied to goals, others just for fun. Because I’m not a business, I’m a silly human. And silly humans sometimes spend 30 minutes comparing pastries consumed instead of finishing their to-do list.
ㅤ | June 2026 | July 2026 | Change |
Avg workout min /day | 119 | 107 | - 10.1% |
Avg steps / day | 14,190 | 14,056 | - 0.9% |
Flights taken | 8 | 3 | - 62.5% |
Books read | 0 | 1 | + 100.0% |
Side projects shipped | 1 | 2 | + 100.0% |
Pastries consumed | 20 | 12 | - 40.0% |
Days journaled | 5 | 6 | + 20.0% |
Fun lil’ memories
Highlights of July:
- PNW (Seattle + Bellingham). Spent real time in one of my favorite places on the planet. The madrona trees with that peeling red bark. The cliffs dropping off the mountain into the water. Sunsets that feel a little unfair. It's just a place where you're surrounded by beauty and you can't help but be in awe of it, and honestly I don't think I'm capable of being anything but happy up there. Also got to see PNW friends, who always ground me in who I am.
- Planning future adventures. There's a very specific dopamine ping in living in the future for a minute. Finding the perfect hotel, figuring out the routing, scouting the coffee shop you already know you'll love. Half the value of a trip gets used up before you even go and I don't think that's a bug. Japan in November is the big one. Kumano Kodo, autumn leaves, onsen towns, temples. Flights booked, Tokyo and Kyoto locked, everything else is still a Notion doc I get to keep messing with (the fun part, obviously). Any recs? Hit me up.
- Breakfasts. Big breakfasts. Slowing down at the start of the day instead of sprinting into it. The real unlock was just keeping the fridge fully stocked with actual ingredients, because then there's no friction between wanting to make something good and actually making it. Food as fuel instead of coffee and vibes. Best part is I stopped deciding to do it and it just happens now. Core habit, and it sets the tone for the whole rest of the day.
Lowlights of July:
- Workouts dipped at the end of the month. Still active, just not as active. There's a real tug of war between building things and working out and they're always pulling on the same hours. When a build is going well it eats everything, and the workout is the first thing to quietly get traded away because skipping it costs you nothing today. Ideal world I've got both in balance. Not gonna beat myself up about it, just gonna fix it in August.
How did I do on my goals last month?
July Goals
I did okay. Not amazing, not bad, just okay. The biggest parts that slipped were the rituals with friends and Saturday work sessions as I was traveling for 50% of the month. I think I am going to keep the same set of goals for August in pursuit of maintaining a good thing I have going for me.
Stop | Start | Continue |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Working out 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Investing in community ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Taking advantage of living in NYC (more shows + events) ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Rituals with friends 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Saturday work sessions ❌ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Building + shipping ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Cooking ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Stretching pre-workout 🟡 |
What am I prioritizing for this month?
August Goals
Stop | Start | Continue |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Working out |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Investing in community |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Taking advantage of living in NYC (more shows + events) |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Rituals with friends |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Saturday work sessions |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Building + shipping |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Cooking |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Stretching pre-workout |
Alright, that's July. If you made it this far, hi, I like you. Tell me how your July went, or send me your one non-negotiable Japan recommendation. I'm collecting them like a raccoon.
With love,
Brett Bejcek
On the first of every month I do a little self-audit and put it out into the world. Why? Accountability, reflection, and because life’s more fun when you share the messy middle.