As finals have come to an end and I've headed home for the summer, I'm finally faced with the opportunity to catch up with myself for a few months. After the hardest year of my life so far, I'm not ashamed to admit that I feel defeated. As I've bobbed up and down with the waves lately, I've been getting by with as little "oxygen" as possible, and now it's finally time to come up for air. I feel I owe it to myself to take these recovery months and use them to get back to feeling like me. (Whatever "me" means these days.) I'm ready to spend my energy this summer on positivity, and to get back to lightheartedness. With the focus on the following, bring on Summer 2016!
1. Adventure
I promise to take as many spontaneous road trips, late-night drives, and adventures as possible this summer. I'm tired of having 27 hours worth of life to accomplish in a 24-hour period and still trying to find time to sleep. My schedule is the lightest it's been in awhile, and I'm embracing this.
2. Focus on the love around me
I'm home, I'm away from what has been a severely toxic year in a very toxic place, and I'm not taking the change of scenery for granted. Family, and friends — old and new. I have a whole summer to surround myself with people who make my heart smile.
3. Choose Me
If I have failed myself in one category this past year, it's paying attention to my best interests before others. This has left me drained and exhausted. Summer gives me an opportunity to focus on my mental and emotional health and to be a little selfish — I deserve to be.
4. Focus on the little things
I am a firm believer that whenever I find my happiness lacking, the best thing to do is work on the finest measures of happiness first and let the bigger things come later. Taking the time to enjoy an extra cup of tea in the morning, spending an extra hour with friends. Anything that can make me happy this summer, that's what I'm sticking with.
5. Eat, drink and be merry.
Need I say more? Summertime food, summertime drinks...... Direct path to happiness.
6. Breathe
Above all this summer, I need the regrouping time. All of the woes and stressors I was just dealing with a month ago are going to come rushing back in come fall, and so I'm going to enjoy our time apart. Focus on the happy things and make this an unforgettable summer with fantastic company.
Cheers!
