Over the past few years, I've reached the end of summer without getting a tan. I've planted my garden in the spring, and watered it only when my tomato plants started to droop and pout. I've put my bike helmet on once or twice. I've walked the dogs a lot, but mostly while feeling hurried and doing a mental checklist of everything else that needs doing when I get home. And then suddenly it's Halloween, and I wonder where the summer went again.
In the back of my mind I knew these weren't the memories I wanted of the summers in my twenties!
At the start of this year I decided on what I was going for: ease. For things to flow more naturally, to be more present, to find a way to be successful and hit my goals without forcing or controlling things as much. What I've found is that ease isn't easy, but by remembering that it's what I'm aiming for I can give myself permission to jump into those moments of playfulness and connection when they happen. It's messy and imperfect, especially when life throws you for a loop (say, when your laptop decides that displaying video is no longer part of its life calling!) but this year I've had so much more fun.
This year I have a tan from being outside getting muddy exploring the garden of the house we moved into last fall, and staying out longer than intended, laughing on patios with friends.
This year? I had traces of sun on my skin & a summer lived in May.
This year I've bought a bike to use instead of my car, I'm making new friends, I'm waking up early to take care of business and am ducking away out to mid-day yoga with my mom. I'm eating breakfast outside with a book, while feeling grateful. And this weekend I'm going for a beach weekend with some of my favourite people in the world, full of s'mores, kids, dogs and all kinds of wonderful chaos.
What I've learned so far is that what I love about summer doesn't happen unless I think about what my “ideal summer” experiences are, and take small steps toward having them every week. For me, that means practicing saying “Yes” to fun that might not come when or how I imagined it, and by looking for opportunities to throw my routine out the window and roll with what's happening right now. And it means blocking out time for genuine fun, like having a pop culture geek out over Big Brother with my husband or going away for the weekend after a long week.
There's still lots of time to make this a summer you'll love, but it will evaporate before you know it if you're not careful with where you put your time.
What's a definitive summer experience that
you love or have fond memories of?
Dare: Could you make that experience
– or the essence of it, in a different way –
happen in the next two weeks?
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LAST UPDATED ON: July 3rd, 2013
CATEGORY: All Business & Blogging Posts
Summer is easy for me- I’m a teacher so there is a definite change in pace, but I feel like I want to Remeber the spirit of this beyond the summer. What life do I want to live. What memories do I want? What is good and fun and beautiful.
i totally decided that my goals for summer were to simplify and only focus on the very basics! getting so wrapped up in all the improvements and goals you want to reach can be so overwhelming and make you miss all the great stuff happening right now! i just came to this realization last week, so half of summer is basically over, but it’s never too late for more time outside and sangria on friends’ back porches :-)
This summer has been more walks with Jack, more reading, more trips to the library and more afternoons spent at the pool. Some of that has been because my step kidlets have been here but I am determined to continue it after they go back to their “winter” home.
I love this post and I love your sunny attitude :)
I’m loving my summer with an almost-2-year-old. All the things you remember doing as a kid? Water fights and ice cream cones and staying up late and watermelon so juicy it runs down your arms? SO MUCH MORE FUN WITH A TODDLER. I highly recommend it ;)
This year, I have a tan because I’m unemployed (well, I have a job but I’m not starting until August) and so I’ve had plenty of time to sit outside and bake. It’s the best.
I love this post. You’re such a positive person :) Honestly though, all I want this summer is to move and take a vacation. I have everything else I need
xo Ashley
thetiniestfirecracker.com
Even when you take it easy, moving is such a trial. I moved last summer and no matter how “in the moment” I was, it just takes a while to make a new place feel like home and I definitely underestimated the time it would take to be completely settled in. Having that and a vacation on your list sounds like a great balance! I hope you’re able to make it happen and that you enjoy all the packing, take out food, and discovering a new neighbourhood that comes with it.
After ditching the city for the country, my life definitely down-shifted a bit. I was almost paralyzed by the slowness. The natural tendency to busy-fy is so strong!
A few years later, now with a two-year old in tow, it is all about ease, under-scheduling, and getting enough rest. Long gone are the days of booking out every last moment of summer. Nice post.
Those transition times when you’re adjusting to a new pace can be so hard, can’t they? I’ve felt that myself so many times, and that drive to pack the days with activities can be tough to resist. Your new way of enjoying the every day and this summer sounds so wonderful and luxurious! I hope that you & your little one enjoy all the extra moments you get to soak up because of it :)
I love this post! I made the usual summer “bucket list” or “goals” or what-have-you, but they’re really all just aimed at this concept – really enjoying summer. Very inspiring.
Thanks for commenting, Katie! A summer bucket list is a great idea. I made one last year but I found that I got caught up in checking things off my list. That driven, type-A side of me is ridiculous sometimes! lol I hope you’re having fun with yours and are having the kind of summer you’ve been hoping for :)
Lovely post, and you’re so right. But I think it doesn’t just apply to summer, a lot of experiences we’d like to have only happen when we actually set our minds to it and set about creating those memories. Thank you for the reminder!
(We haven’t even had much proper summer weather this year, so no tan for me. I don’t really tan anyway, I just burn.)
I totally agree, it’s easy (and natural) to be so caught up in our heads that we miss the opportunity to savour experiences when we’re in them. What I’ve been practicing lately is asking myself “What am I _______ right now?” and running through my senses. Focusing on what I’m actually feeling on my skin at that moment or trying to separate out all the little sounds that are whirring around is really helpful in bringing me back to being grounded in this moment so I can take it in and enjoy it.
I love this post! Since starting up my own business again this year, I’ve decided to make the most of this summer. I spend my lunch breaks gardening everyday it’s not raining. I’m taking the last week of all the summer months off, along with every Friday.
I’ve rented a cabin at the lake for a week in August with a writing friend for our own self-styled writing retreat.
The more time I spend outside, the happier I feel. Summer is short, and so is life. We need to make the most of both. I’m so glad I’m no longer watching the summer go by from a cubicle.
I love the comment about your garden, too. I’ve done exactly the same thing. Or I’ll get too busy to actually pick all the stuff I grow so it rots on the vine. Not this year!
I love the idea of gardening at lunch and taking the last week of each month Holli, I’ll definitely be stealing the gardening habit! And a self made writers retreat sound amazing. I bet you’ll come away with lots of great material and feeling completely restored! xo
Yes! Permission to do things and be happy – I’m not sure when in our adult lives we decide this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be but I’m so thankful I’ve realized wait, yes it is!
“I had traces of sun on my skin & a summer lived in May.” LOVE this!
This summer I’m commiting to not get swept up in what’s to come and enjoy the present – this applies to all aspects of my life even down to choosing to read physical books and not on my kindle – bringing me back to my roots!
I’m glad you’re having more summer fun this year too, Becky! Prioritizing having fun and experiences that you love can feel really indulgent, and even frivolous, especially when we’re busy and caught up in all the work that needs to get done in our lives.
The difference that even subtle things, like reading a physical book under a tree rather than an e-reader can be centring, fun, and help you get some down time so you come back to what needs your full time and attention with more to give. I hope you get some reading time in the next few days :)