At least once each summer I get the urge to start relating the season of summer time, the feel, the energy, and everything about summer to our businesses and our lives. Here are some words that come to me about summer, at least where I live, both from my past and present:
Heat
Glow
Refreshment
Nature
Relaxing
Reading
Lazy, hazy days
Fun
Playing
Road Trip
Parties
Family and friends
Okay, I am stopping myself now as I could keep this going for quite some time! How do I relate these words to making my summer the BEST every? I intentionally incorporate each of them into my plan. I shift my usual schedule to reflect the ever changing days of summer. For me in my life now, especially with kids, my schedule is changing constantly. If I decided to resist or feel upset about this I would totally miss the treasure of what the summer can be. Once I decided to embrace the weekly changes and started to plan each week ahead on Sunday, my efficiency, productivity, and enjoyment went skyrocketing!
Back to my words- fun– I plan weekly fun right into my schedule. Something each week centers around friends, and many activities center around my family. Playing is what I do with my exercise- really switching it up to spend as much time in nature as possible. Just stopping for a quick game of horse with my son at our hoop is such a relaxing thing for me- focusing on him and letting everything go for just a few minutes- it’s awesome for both of us. This is a part of the lazy, hazy days of summer that I bring from my childhood to my life today. Some loose, unstructured time is so good for all of us. It is so relaxing and SO necessary to utilize this summer energy to strengthen myself for an amazing fall season to come.
Getting centered on the now and celebrating the season with little parties with people who uplift and inspire me. People who like to laugh and enjoy great food are important to me. My family always has a road trip to somewhere fun- we somehow got on a streak three years running of staying at haunted hotels- this year is it The Mount Washington Hotel. Hitting the road to see something you haven’t seen to experience something new is priceless and so much easier in the summer for most of us. If you have kids you get to experience something with them and you get to see their minds expand. These are the memories they will talk about forever! The heat of summer always gets me excited- being outside with no coat on, windows in the house open, fresh air. These are little changes that can make life enjoyable when you start to notice them.
I love being able to wear light clothes and not be all bundled up. I relish the moist air that makes your skin glow– like a trip to the sauna or steam- just walking down the street. Now that’s efficiency! Glow makes me think of the beautiful sunsets we get to experience, as well.
I love enjoying places locally that I do not have access to during other times of year- museums and restaurants, and outdoor cafes that are open seasonally. Ferry rides. Gardens. Beauty surrounds us. I find places to do some summer reading and none better than the rocks next to my house or the Adirondack chairs in front. This is so relaxing to me- the ultimate. Summer time just seems naturally to be more permission to read time.
It all adds up to complete refreshment to me. Like the best pause, reflection, renewing time. If you allow it and go with the flow of it. When I enjoy and partake in these feelings and activities, or non-activities I refresh myself in a big way. When I am refreshed I know I am going to be thinking more clearly and have a ton more energy to bring into the fall when schedules become more rigid again and the spirit of back to school inspires to take things to a new level.
I encourage you to make your own list of meaningful words about summer. Then ask yourself how you can more fully incorporate them on purpose. From there you can make your weekly plan, on purpose, to live them out! What does summer mean to you? Only positive responses need reply!! Take a deep breathe and enjoy it all!! Ahhhh……summer!!