Relax, Refresh and Rejuvenate

Image from montroseministries.org.

It’s already June 15^th. Where has your summer been going? Do you longingly remember those days when you could open a book, sit back next to a pool, at a beach – or even your backyard and just delve into the pages? When was the last time you did that?

How about the absolute joy of getting on a swing and feeling the breeze on your skin? When was the last time you did that?

Or, eating a popsicle on a hot day?

I think you get my point – when did we stop enjoying summer? And, will we once again wake up on Labor Day and wonder why we didn’t take advantage of it?

I’ve been guilty of it, and I know we all are. We find that we missed out on a bit of freedom that comes with the summer season.  So, how do we get back the anticipation and joy of summers past?

In his book, “Don’t Miss Your Life”, Joe Robinson discusses some ways to find our summertime rejuvenation again:

• Plan for some free time.  Our calendars are overfilled and we feel like we always ‘need’ to be doing something. But, free time is important for rejuvenation.  If rejuvenation is a priority – then schedule some free time in your calendar (long weekends – or mini-vacations, or just an hour to enjoy the day). Don’t assume that you are just ‘too busy’ – that’s just a mindset that makes us think that everything we do is an emergency.  Things generally aren’t.
• Let your kids be kids.  Remember the days when you and your friends would have a backyard fort and would spend hours playing make-believe. I bet your kids would absolutely love the free-time as well (versus being over committed every second of the day).
• Turn off the gadgets (or, give them a time-out). I have to think that I am not the only person in our society who laughs at people who are so tuned into their smart phones that they don’t pay attention to the world around them.  I was recently in London, on a tour with a number of students from a US University – and, rather than looking at the Tower as we drove by – they were too tuned into their phones. I felt sorry for them. This may be part of their culture – but, we can chose to not have it be part of ours.
• Pursue hobbies. I love to garden, but – can’t do it all year round.  Summertime makes me slow down and enjoy digging in the dirt.

Let’s make the summer of 2016 a great summer – so, get out there and enjoy it.