5 Things I’m doing this summer that I think You should do too!

Do you remember summertime as a kid? You know, before we got jobs or our license? On hot afternoons, we’d eat cherry red popsicles that would melt and drip down our hands and arms. We’d hang out with our friends at the beach or the pool, almost every day. We’d play tag or softball with the neighbors until it got dark and our moms made us come inside. And the sound of the ice-cream truck would send us running.

Summertime, as a kid was the best.

But now, we’re adults. We have jobs and schedules that at times make it impossible to take a week off, let alone two whole months in the summer. It’s hard not to wonder—Are our good summers behind us?

Last month, I talked about the importance of rest and having fun. Then I realized that for many of us, having fun as adults requires some intentionality. So I thought about some things I really want to do this summer, and how I could make them happen. And as I was looking at the list, I realized they are things we should all consider doing during the summer. So, in hopes of inspiring you to make a warm weather fun list of your own, here are:

5 things I am doing this summer

Spending time with friends

For some of us this is easy, for others of us it may take a little planning. Between summer vacations and work schedules, it isn’t always as simple as “What are you doing tonight?” But that doesn’t mean it has to be complex either. This summer, I am meeting friends for coffee, and we’re going to have people over for dinner and/or dessert a few times. The focus won’t be on doing something fancy, but rather on being with our closest people.

Learning something new

Whether it is a couple of hours learning to kayak, taking a cooking class, or picking up a new hobby—learning something new, I find, helps us interact differently with the world. It helps us use parts of our brain we don’t normally use, and let go of our life troubles, if even for a little while. This summer, Tony and I are learning Italian—ok, not the whole language, but as much as we can to help us prepare for a dream trip to Italy that we are taking at the end of the summer. We aren’t very good at getting the “r’s” to roll off our tongues, and we’re hoping we don’t butcher their beautiful language, but it feels like it is adding another layer of excitement for our trip.

Getting outside

This one can be tricky when the weather is ninety degrees and the humidity makes it feel like a thousand. So for this one, I am taking a little more “Seize the Day” type of attitude. Rather than plan hiking trips weeks in advance, we’re looking at the weather on a Wednesday to determine what we will do that weekend. Then, if I wake up in the morning and it is beautiful out, I am squeezing in a run (even if a short one), before the day gets warm.

Reading good books

We all need something that will help us think new thoughts, offer us an escape without leaving town, put ourselves in the shoes of another, or remind us that our reality isn’t the reality of the whole world. The best way I have found to do all of these things is through reading. During our summer reading week on the blog, I shared some books I loved, as well as my summer readying list. I’ve already read two books on my list, and both helped me feel like I had traveled somewhere new. What in your life opens up the world to you? Is it books, movies, adventure, podcasts, etc.?

Being active

For all of us this looks different. But there was something about playing tag or swimming with our friends, as kids, in the summer that felt so good. Nothing feels better than going to sleep after an active Saturday—spending time in the sun, going hiking, walking on the beach or playing a game of volleyball. For me this looks like walking or running with my friends once a week, hiking when we can, and trying to maintain our regular exercise schedule.