Warm sunny days, backyard BBQs, bike rides, and camp fires.
Aaah, summer – we’re so glad you are here.
For me, summer isn’t complete without coffee on the dock and a kayak ride around our little lake. It’s pure heaven when the water is like glass.
What makes your summer amazing? What do you love?
As you begin designing your summer plans, here are five things to try:
1. Create a Summer Fun List
Last year, my family had a Fun List on the go, all summer. My daughter created a poster and hung it in the hallway upstairs. Each one of us wrote down things in our own coloured marker that we wanted to do, and slowly we checked things off the list. It was like a Summer Bucket List, focused around one thing – FUN!
Try it: Engage all family members (including children) to help come up with your collective Summer Fun List. This inspires creativity, imagination and working together. Put the colourful list somewhere where everyone can see and mark things off as you go.
The process taught me so much about planning an amazing summer together (and leaving room for spontaneous fun). Surprisingly, many of the things we wrote down didn’t cost that much.
2. Design a Health Goal
With great outdoor weather and delicious produce, summer is the perfect time to pick a health or fitness goal. Ideally, have it be one that inspires movement, fresh air and connection – either to nature, friends or just yourself.
I like a goal that I can see the cumulative effect – like daily green smoothies, a certain number of miles walked or a certain number of dates with my yoga mat. One year, I did a push-up challenge and the next year, a squat challenge. I felt so strong by the end of the summer – the cumulative moves all added up! What could you pick that would inspire you?
3. Travel Somewhere You’ve Never Been
With so much world to explore, choose one place to go this summer that you’ve never been. This could be a day trip, a weekend get-away or a two-week vacation – across the globe or right in your immediate backyard. The point is to explore and see new things.
As you do, you create new pathways in your mind and thoughts. You also open your eyes to greater possibilities, ways of being and compassion for all living things.
4. Pick One House Project
Summer is a perfect time to pick one project around your house or yard. Perhaps it’s building a fence or adding a flower bed. If you live in an apartment, you could choose an indoor project such as painting or tackling a closet.
Tip: Pick the project that you’ll feel the most satisfaction in completing. Avoid starting a bunch of projects that can overwhelm you. Start one and follow it through to completion. If you feel inspired after that, by all means, choose another!
5. Select Someone to Visit
Remember the days when people just showed up on your family’s doorstep? No scheduling required. You would invite them in for a drink or meal and pull out clean sheets for them to stay the night. There was always something in the fridge or freezer to serve. People didn’t care how clean your house was or if the décor matched. They were just happy to see you.
Think of people whom you’d love to visit. And then, whether scheduled or spontaneous, make it happen!
How else can you make your summer amazing? Remember, if you don’t design it consciously, in a snap it’s September. So have fun, be safe and soak up your summertime.
Supporting Your Abundant Success,
Paula
P.S. What are you looking forward to enjoying as summer fun? Share in the comments below.
