Ahh. It’s finally summer. I have been waiting for this since September. I don’t know about you, but summer has always been my favorite season. I am my best self in the summer. And I’m not just talking about being more tan, more blonde, and more rested.
But, something happened the last couple of summers. I didn’t get to enjoy them. The summer came to a close and new newness of fall set in with me feeling exhausted. What happened to the summer refresh I had come to love? Not only love, but wholly depend on?
Upon closer reflection, I realized that my summer refresh got lost. It got lost in the hustle of working extra hours because I “could” and “should.” It got lost in the need to send my son to summer camp, feeling that it wasn’t OK for him to miss a day because, well, I paid for it. My summer break got lost in the preparation for the upcoming school year because, despite popular belief, teachers do lesson plan and take classes over the summer. Lastly, it got lost in the mindset of “I don’t have the time or extra money” to do X, Y, or Z.
All in all, my summer was lost in trying to maintain a schedule. I didn’t relax, which is something I already struggle doing.
So, at the beginning of this summer, I made a vow to myself: we, my son and I, are going to enjoy summer. We are going to have fun and take a break. I am not going to be tied to a schedule and, instead, let go.
So far so good. Yes, we still have a schedule for camp and work. BUT, I am going to be OK with asking for time off. Everyone else does…why can’t I? With that mindset in mind, I scheduled a vacation for the two us in Traverse City, which is one of my favorite places to visit.
I spent much of last summer jealous of what everyone else was getting to experience. To combat this, we sat down and made a summer bucket list. This may seem counterintuitive when trying to escape a schedule, but this is a list of experiences. A list of places and things we want to do this summer. And we are going to do one thing a week. From festivals we never got to last year, to days at Greenfield Village, and more Tigers Games (even if they aren’t playing too well!).
I am making a conscious effort to strike a balance between staying busy and being totally lazy, soaking up all the glory summer has to offer and creating the opportunity to completely refresh myself physically and mentally, so I’m ready to tackle fall again.
