How To Make This Your Best Summer Yet

Summer is the best time to feel like yourself. And, after we've been cooped up for a year, it’s a perfect time to savour every day.

Summertime has the potential to help you:

1. Reset and restore
2. Have fun
3. Get creative 

When we're having fun, we put aside the worries, the goals, the stress, the have to’s. We can look at where we’ve been and where we’re going. 

Let's start with what you want 

Sometimes, we're so busy, we don't even know what we want and we don't take time to figure it out.  

Start here:

Ask yourself these questions:

What would make this an unforgettable summer? 

What if it was the first summer I got to ________

If I had all the free time I wanted this summer, I'd ________

The best summer I ever had was _________.

These questions can give you clues to what you're longing for and what makes you happy. 

Sit down right now and write it out.

I give you full permission to dream. 

Want to go to Hawaii? To some exotic location? Do something all by yourself? 

Do it. 

Find a way. 

Saboteur Busting

Oh, but Jo, I don't have the time, the money, my spouse doesn't want to go...I can't leave because….needs me to do…. 

Look the obstacles in the eye and say, “you're not going to stop me.”

This is what I call saboteur busting. 

Get in there and figure out what it is that's holding you back.

Is it the money? 

Okay, for sure. there are a million ways to find the money to do what you want.  Here's an article for some starters:

How to save money for a vacation

Don't have the time? 

Why not? 

Are you not taking time off work because you think you'll be missed? 

Ask yourself this question:

What will I remember about the summer of 2021? 

What if you could say, "Dang, that was the.best.summer.ever."

Watch out for perceived obstacles:

My spouse/partner/child/friend/parent doesn't want to go. 

It may be that that person who loves you also needs you.

We all need a break from each other.

Because when we come back together...we appreciate each other more, we're fresh, back in the game, we're rested...so...

Consider taking a trip all by yourself. 

The benefits are enormous: 

1) You have time to just think about your life without distractions. 

2) You can mull over whether your life is going in the right direction or if you're really miserable. 

3) The pandemic taught us that nothing is guaranteed. There are no promises for tomorrow. 

Live Your Best Life Now

Why not have your best life right now? 

Why would you wait? 

Find a way to make whatever you want to happen this summer. 

What I'm doing:

I'm planning my own trip away. Because I know that I traveled and worked internationally, I became more aware of myself. I had to think on my feet, I had to problem-solve, and I had to ask strangers for help. 

I built confidence in myself and I learned to trust my gut feelings. 

And, each time I traveled by myself, I became more creative. The ideas flowed through me like a river. 

Was I scared? Absolutely. 

I just let myself feel the fear and I kept going. 

Because that's how I roll. I have to just put myself out there and say I'm going to do it. 

Make This Your Best Summer

I challenge you right now to decide that you're going to have THE summer of fun. 

Then make a plan. 

Put it on the calendar, any special trips or parties, picnics... whatever it is you want to do...then do it. 

Because life goes way too fast to wait. 

Take it from me. I'm 71 and I'm not going to wait. 

Find a way.