“Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds.”
—Regina Brett
Friends, can you believe it is the first day of August? My mind can’t even wrap itself around this fact. Though this means we technically have seven weeks left of summer, it feels like we only have four. Many of us have a fall schedule that begins when September does, cutting our summers short. In other words,
Summer is going to be over before we know it.
Now, I realize pointing out how fast summer is going, isn’t a great way to brighten your day. But, I share all of this because often remembering how much time we have left, helps us focus on what we want most. It helps us let go of the things that aren’t important, to take a hold of what is.
For me, summer is a time for rest and rejuvenation. Yes, I still have my work and regular real life responsibilities. But, where I can, I try to do things that will fuel my creativity and joy so I can share them with others. I am taking every opportunity to be in the sun (when it’s not ninety-eight degrees outside), and I am making time to be with my people.
If we don’t give ourselves a break, we’re going to break.
For you, summer may look very different. Perhaps you are where I have been in the past, and you struggle to rest. You may even feel guilty doing something fun, as there is always a “to do” list growing in your mind. But friend, rest and play are so important in us showing up for our responsibilities as our best selves. If we don’t give ourselves a break, we’re going to break.
With this in mind, today I want to share with you some of my Before Summer Ends Bucket List. It is my hope that it will inspire you to schedule some time over the next four weeks to do some of these things—or, make time for the things you’ve been longing to do.
Here are three things I want to do before the summer ends:
Unplug and get quiet.
In our world today, this is hard no matter who we are. It is so easy to pick up our phones and scroll, listen to podcasts, stream music, or binge TV shows. So, even when we get away from the people and busyness of our lives, we’re not really giving ourselves a break. Before summer ends, I am committing to spending more time journaling, reading, or going for walks sans my head phones. Sometimes, quietness can feel scary, but some of our most important thoughts and ideas come when everything else in our lives are turned off.
Go fruit picking.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve already gone strawberry and blueberry picking. This month, I am hoping to go peach picking. The key to fruit picking is to show up early, when it is still cool and everyone is still waking up. In the morning, there is a peaceful stillness that blankets a berry patch or orchard. A quiet, that is only ever broken by the joyful sound of a child who has picked her first piece of fruit. And when you’re finished picking, you get to take some of the sweetest fruit you’ve ever had, home with you.
Spend a Saturday at home, ignoring my “to do” list.
Full disclosure, I have already done this once or twice this summer, and it was glorious. Sure, I still had the same long list of things to do when Sunday came around. But by Monday, I felt more rested than I had in a while. During that Saturday, I read a good book for an hour or two. Tony and I made a good meal at night. And, we may have even rented a movie. We didn’t rush anywhere, or stress about anything. To some of you, this may seem impossible, maybe even scary. But we have the power to choose how we spend our time, and it is not only OK, but also very good, to choose rest.
Do you need to schedule in some quiet activities before summer ends?
Is it hard for you to rest? Why do you think that is?
If you want more restful and fun ideas for how to finish up your summer, check out this post.
Are you in the midst of making a decision? Contemplating a life change? If so, you may be interested in my FREE Making Changes Checklist that I give to all my email friends. Want your free copy? subscribe here.
