Summer Plans: What Kind of Summer Do You Want to Have?

Summer is nearly upon us! It’s time for me to start thinking about our summer plans.

In order to think about what kind of summer plans we want to have, I find myself trying to go back and remember past summers. But our lives have changed so much in the past couple years!

First, we dropped from two incomes down to one. When we made that switch, we knew we were giving up things like summer camps. But then it was COVID, so our summer felt really different last year.

So what do we want to make true about this summer? First, I don’t think we will do any extra fun/cute activities like we have done in the past. Those felt more necessary because Matt and I were both working full-time and trying to make up for it.

There were two Big Rocks I decided to put into my summer a couple months ago: a trip to Hawaii and a retreat with thoughtful women.

After a really rough year as a school administrator and a rough year in a pandemic, I knew I wanted to celebrate with an epic summer vacation. Matt and I are both fully vaccinated, so we felt okay about getting on a plane. And we’ve never been to Hawaii. So I searched AirBnb and VRBO for the cheapest (but still nice) vacation rental I could find and booked a trip. The rental I found ended up being on the Big Island in Pahoa.

I want that trip to feel like gentle and joyful reconnection with my family. I’ve been so stressed out this year (including during last summer’s road trip to Michigan). During this vacation, I want my children to feel like they have my full attention. I want to eat fresh fruit. Breathe in the ocean area. Luxuriate in the green foliage. Drive with the windows down. Take in the landscapes. Watch Netflix with Matt.

And then I can’t wait to connect with other vaccinated women at a retreat I’m hosting in Austin. I want that time to feel rejuvenating. I want to reconnect and use my time to take stock of where I am in my life and make a plan for the second half. Also, I want to move forward on a few key projects, related to things like Menopause Revealed.

I also want to join the YMCA this summer and start doing some weight-bearing exercise circuits to set up a strong foundation for aging.

Finally, I want to finish putting together our vacation home and spend some time there with friends and family. We also need to start renting it out to help us get out of the debt it got us into. (I’ve been sharing more updates about that process in my weekly newsletter if you are curious!).

That sounds like enough—I should stop there!

What are you hoping to do this summer?