Summer…flip flops, lemonade stands, lazy days in a hammock, by the sea, in a pool, or on a boat. Early morning runs, longer bike rides, time to catch up with family, friends and maybe even yourself. Time to check in. We are half way through the year. How’s it going? With the extra heat and laziness that overtakes us we tend to boil down our to-do list to the bare essentials. In the summer, I wake up extra early and work during the quietest, coolest part of the day so when the kids return from camp we can head to the beach or do something fun. What absolutely positively must get done today is always the first thing I ask.
Summer is a great time to re-prioritize our hectic schedules, to simplify the running around we do, to let go, if only temporarily, of some of the obligations. Our food choices involve less cooking, our wardrobe is minimal with bare essentials, our housekeeping is minimized as we spend more time outdoors. In my house, we have been in re-prioritizing and simplifying mode all year and it’s made an impact on our lives in such a positive way. One great example…recently I simplified our tv plan to basic cable. At first you would think the world had ended! What? No Disney channel? Even my mother thought I was nuts! Think of the reaction you would get in your house?
Well, typically I come home from a long day of meetings and see three kids plopped in front of the tv – exhausted from their day at camp or work. Yesterday, after a long day ended in Boston traffic, I walked in to a clean kitchen (well, the kids version of clean), fresh baked cookies, and three kids on the living room floor playing an old fashioned game – together! Wow, I took away their standard mode of operation and creativity ensued! Change is sometimes hard, especially when it isn’t your choice. But once you take that first step and see how good change can be… you’ll never to go back. What can you let go of? What will make your life a little simpler? It’s time to embrace the heat and do just the essential… happy summer!
-kyra