It's officially summer!  Maybe you have plans for relaxation,  fruity beverages with gerbil-sized umbrellas, and road trips with friends....or maybe you're just hoping to not burn your hands on your car steering wheel, avoid the asphalt from melting your sandals (maybe that's just us Phoenicians?), and somehow find your way around the stress or guilt that beach vibes or a certain vacation might bring.

Thanks to media and cultural trends, there's no shortage of advice to help you get "summer ready."   You won't have to look far to find what exercise or diet to do, or how to tan yourself into the perfect shade of a toasted almond.  The bummer is that most of these trends won't actually give you the “best summer ever,” in fact they'll likely do the opposite...making you anxious about not measuring up, keeping you from focusing on what actually matters, and handing you a summer of dissatisfaction, depravity, and distraction.  

I'll pass on that!  You too?

So then, how DO you set yourself up for a season of joy, meaningful memories, and presence, so that you don’t miss out on these sweet summer days? 

By setting aside some time to get intentional about how you want to experience your summer, you'll be so much more likely to find the joy, freedom, and contentment that you long for.  So grab an iced beverage and a journal and follow along with this short practice to help guide you!  You can do it alone, with a friend, or with a spouse. 

SUMMER READY PRACTICE

1. How do you want to feel this summer emotionally, mentally, and physically?

• Example: I want to feel joyful, present, content, strong, and nourished.

2. What is going to allow you to experience the things you listed? (be sure to list things for both mental/emotional and physical wellbeing!)

(These examples might help guide you, but write down whatever resonates with you!)

• Start my day with 10 minutes of quiet time to reflect on what I'm thankful for
• Keep my body well-fed so that I can be mentally present
• Redirect thoughts of guilt and shame to self-love and gentleness
• Schedule my days with enough flex time so that I'm not rushing from one event to another
• Be mindful about blocking out “me time” to do something I enjoy
• Hire a babysitter for a few hours each week  
• Let the house be messy
• Spend 30 minutes a day moving my body in whatever way feels good
• Focus on moving my body for enjoyment and gratitude rather than for results and transformation
• Keep a variety of fruits and vegetables in my fridge to snack on
• Avoid buying foods that make my feel sluggish
• Invest in a large water bottle to ensure I'm drink half of my body weight in oz of water daily
• Make food choices that empower my body to feel good MOST of the time
• Say yes to sharing a pint of ice cream in the sun once in a while
• Shut down social media for 1 day a week so that I can focus solely on the people around me     

Getting summer ready means asking yourself how you want your EXPERIENCE to be this summer, not how you want your APPEARANCE to be this summer. 

Join me?  Comment below to tell me how you want to experience your summer!  I'm rooting for you!