I have to admit that after leaving Florida, adjusting to seasons took a while. The Michigan winters are unforgiving and it always seemed to me, that living in that climate is a choice. Texas Florida, South Carolina, no snow! But you get used to it's, slowly but surely through tears and a polar vortex or two.
Honestly, I feel like surviving through the winter makes you stronger. Digging your car out of the snow and shoveling your way to the front door. You build perseverance and arm strength.
It also meant that when the summer rolls in I can do anything. I anticipate the summers because if it's happening and it's outside then I'm up for it. This year I wanted to set some loose architecture around those three months to get the most out of them. I wanted to do more than just my usual routine and get out of my comfort zone. Here are some of my top priorities this summer!
Visit 5 coastal cities/states
The one thing I've missed most from the past few years is not visiting the beach enough. In Florida, any weekend can easily become a beach weekend, which I absolutely loved. Unfortunately, the experience isn't the same up here in the north. I want to visit some coastal cities and hot at least 5 states over the summer.
Take more photos
I've been toying with photography for a few years now and I've even done a couple of gigs. However, I don't go out shooting as consistently as I would like to develop the skill. The summer is a great time to take photos! The weather's more tolerable and the days are longer which means a larger variety of photo opportunities.
Write more
This has nothing to do with seasons or being outdoors but it's still something I'd like to focus on. It goes along with the consistency effort. It's hard to find material to write about sometimes and making it a consistent habit can take the fright out of it. Improving is always on the back of my mind so why not try and make a point of it this summer.
Take 3 camping trips
My most recent experience camping was at a music festival at the Double JJ Ranch. It was a great experience and it really showed me the different possibilities and styles of camping. I guess that's what happens when you have tens of thousands of people camping together, everyone has their own way of surviving in the forest. I want to see more parks and nature and camping foots the bill.
Get involved
Contributing to the community is something I've done off and on but now I want to get back to it. It's a great way to participate and keep up with the people and what's happening around you. Tons of services need volunteers and you never know you might end up with some free beer! At least that's what happened to me when I volunteered to a local bike race.
Show up for me
This one is harder but it's probably the most important one on the list. Self-care has been a hot topic lately, for good reason, because appreciating yourself is good obviously. But beyond the surface, it includes pursuing what you believe in and what matters to you.
Which sometimes, at least from my perspective, is where I tend to fall flat. So to turn that around I'll focus on showing up, not planning things to death or getting caught up in minutia. Just showing up and executing because up here, just like that and the summer's gone.
