This Month I Loved: Peaches, Pedicures and Saying No to Guilt

My July favourites — small indulgences and letting go of what doesn’t serve me.

This Month I Loved: Peaches, Pedicures and Saying No to Guilt

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you’re allowed to take a break. You don’t have to climb a mountain, deep-clean your oven, or finally sort out the digital photo mess that is your iCloud to “earn” a bit of peace. You are officially permitted to sit in the sun, latte in hand, doing sweet bugger-all, just because you exist.

And that’s basically what I did this month. I stopped treating rest like a reward. I let go of guilt, turned the volume down on obligation, and leaned into the small stuff that brings me disproportionate joy. Call it self-care, call it laziness, call it perimenopausal rebellion, I call it sanity.

So here it is: my July favourites. Nothing earth-shattering. No reinventions. Just a few simple pleasures that made me feel like a woman in control of her own summer. Slightly chaotic. Slightly overheated. Deeply content.

🍑 1. Peaches (peeled, for the love of all that’s holy)

Let’s get one thing straight: I like peaches, but I will not tolerate their fuzzy little jackets. I don’t care how wholesome it sounds to eat fruit straight from the tree; if it’s giving tongue-on-a-sweater energy, I’m out.

But peeled? Sliced? Drizzled in a bit of Greek yoghurt and pretending I’m in a Tuscan villa instead of my back garden in a folding chair from B&Q? Absolutely yes. I’ve also dabbled in peach sorbet, peach iced tea, and a peach-scented candle that makes my living room smell like summer with a mortgage.

It’s the season of soft sweetness and absolutely no texture-based trauma.

💅 2. Pedicures (because the sandals are out, and so are my toes)

Look, I’m not going to pretend I’ve been ignoring my feet all year. They’ve been out. They’ve been walking around. They’ve even, dare I say it, been admired. But even a seasoned sandal-wearer needs a little mid-season refresh.

Cue: pedicure. The real kind. With scrubs, oils, and that low-key euphoric feeling when someone else does all the faff. I left the salon with glossy lilac toenails, ankles that didn’t look like they’d been wrestling socks, and the distinct smugness of someone who had done something purely for the joy of it.

Because that’s the magic of a pedicure: it’s 45 minutes of not doing anything except sitting down while someone makes your feet feel like they’re starring in a spa advert. Bliss.

❌ 3. Saying No (and meaning it)

This was the month I decided I didn’t need to apologise for protecting my peace. No, I won’t be popping over for a “quick drink” that requires me to put on mascara and make small talk with someone’s overly chatty neighbour. No, I’m not going to that thing I said yes to in May when I was feeling overly optimistic and under-caffeinated.

And no, I don’t want to split a bill evenly when I’ve eaten one main course and you’ve ordered three starters, a cocktail tree, and the wine list.

Saying no, kindly, clearly, and without waffling, has been wildly liberating. It’s like giving yourself the gift of more time, more space, and fewer pointless WhatsApps. Ten out of ten. Will continue.

🧘‍♀️ 4. Body Peace (or at least a ceasefire)

Here’s the truth: I’ve just hit 50. My body and I have had words. We’ve been through trends, trauma, tummy bugs and terrible trousers. I have bits that wobble and bits that ache, and I am so over the endless pressure to shrink, tighten, and “tone” everything into oblivion.

This month, I tried something radical: I wore clothes I actually liked. Not because they were “flattering” (code for ‘please disappear’) but because they were comfortable, pretty, and made me feel like me, the me that still exists even if my waistline has ghosted me.

There was no ‘beach body’ prep. No detoxing. No screaming internal monologue every time I looked at my arms. Just quiet appreciation. My body is here. It works. It holds me up. And if that’s not worth a bit of kindness, I don’t know what is.

☕ Honourable Mention: Murder Mysteries and Minding My Own Business

This month, I curled up with some brilliant, gritty murder mysteries. The kind with atmospheric lighting, a suspicious vicar, and a woman who’s clearly seen too much but still solves everything with a coat, a notebook and a Look. Nothing soothes the soul like a bit of fictional foul play.

Pair it with a latte and a sofa you don’t plan to leave for several hours, and you’ve basically got a staycation.

So that’s July. A little juicier, a little slower, a lot less apologetic. If you’re also out here peeling peaches, painting your toenails, and gently giving guilt the boot, I salute you.

Here’s to summer pleasures, soft boundaries, and choosing peace over people-pleasing.

Let me know what you’re loving this month, or what you’re saying no to with confidence. Bonus points if it involves anything iced, indulgent or vaguely Italian. Facebook- Mylifeandstyleover40

Until next time,

Take care, stay safe

Becks xo