Summer is Upon Us...
...and oh, what a glorious feeling. Ahh, summer. We can smell its imminent approach on the warm, late-spring air. Visions of beach barbecues, friendship, exploration, and the smell of sunscreen are beginning to clarify in everyone's minds as the season of possibility speeds towards us. Come early summer, most people are filled with a vibrant energy, a newness, and a blank slate for fun.
And it seems that as soon as it arrives, it's gone just as quickly, and we're left wondering, where did the time go?? Here are some ways that you can make this summer really count, so that it won't just feel like a mere blip on the radar of your life.
Spend Time With Those Who Matter Most
Most of us work hard all year to save up vacation time for summer. It can be tempting to use these days to laze around poolside, eating chips and guacamole, gettin' our tan on. But are we going to remember that moment 5 years later? Are we even going to remember that moment 5 minutes later?
One of our most prized values at BoKU is family. And summer is, at least partially, for spending quality time with family, and enjoying exciting new adventures with them - things that we don't get to do during "family season" (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, etc). Go on a road trip with family to a breathtaking national monument, and be filled with wonder together. Go to a waterpark and bond over your fear of the vertical hundred-foot drop.
These are the things we'll be happy we did when we're breathing our last breaths.
Use "Summer Energy" for Lifestyle Changes
As mentioned previously, summer can make us feel suddenly like the Incredible Hulk of energy, in which we turn into "fun monsters" that want to stomp all around beaches and parties with frightening amounts of gusto.
Nothing wrong with having fun! We LOVE fun. However, we can redirect these energies in ways that leave lasting impressions in our lives, and not just a hangover the next morning. Let's set ourselves up to remain fulfilled throughout the year.
Transmute some of that vibrant energy into something like learning a new, active skill. At BoKU, we've been having a ton of fun with riding electric bikes around our quaint little town! Summer is also a great time to try a new water sport. Ever wanted to surf, and haven't taken the time? Now is the time to try, and your interest will likely carry into later seasons (you'll just need a warmer wetsuit come November).
Remain Diligent About Your Diet
Summer is definitely one of the easiest times to justify laziness and slip into eating habits that fully negate the concept of a "bikini body" (although we are of the firm belief that in order to have a "bikini body," all you have to do is put on a bikini - but you get the gist).
Cheeseburgers and beer are readily available at virtually every summer party. We can get lazy during the summer and eat out more, which oftentimes means more deep-fried carbs than we would eat at home.
Remain aware of what's going into your temple, and concentrate on having our personal favorite summer libation - hearty smoothies. If you add a scoop of Super Food and Super Protein to your favorite smoothie/shake, it's a full meal, and you'll be much less tempted to reach for a greasy hot dog at your friend's barbecue.
Document Your Life
One of the best ways to make this summer memorable is to create surefire ways to remember it! Take tons of pictures of your adventures. Journal daily. Make a summer scrapbook! You'll really enjoy looking at your documentation years down the line with your friends and family.