Through processing what I want + need in this summer season, I’ve narrowed down a few ways I’m going to strive to slow down my summer. I would love to hear your thoughts + ways that you are slowing down your summer as well – please comment below, friends!
01. More time at home :: Less nights out
You don’t have to go out or spend money to have a good time. Open the doors of your home to your friends, family + neighbors. Host a dinner party, have friends over for a drink, invite your neighbors over when you’re grilling out! Enjoy the simple fruits your home has to offer.
My husband and I are naturally more introverted, so it’s not too hard to say no to plans with big gatherings of people, but saying no to everything does not quite balance out what we crave. We crave people (in little amounts) so figuring out what works for us this summer has felt good. We love spending time at home, so welcoming friends or family over to our home + eating dinner with them or enjoying a drink is a perfect night in for us!
Ask yourself: What could you say no to? What do you want to say yes to? What do you crave on a weekly basis?
02. Less time being distracted :: More time being present
We all know that phones and other technologies can be unfathomably distracting. Make a few changes in your day-to-day, purposely chose to not let your phone be a distraction + practice being present.
I try not to look at my phone until 9am each morning, unless there is something important I need to attend to or if I go into work earlier than 9. I don’t normally check emails or texts, I stay off Instagram and Facebook until I’ve interacted with my husband, eaten breakfast + had my coffee – then, and only then, will I allow myself to jump into the world outside the walls of my home.
Ask yourself: How much time are you currently on your phone? What is it distracting you from? What is one change you can make this week?
03. More scheduled workouts :: Less time worrying
I can so easily believe that if I didn’t get a workout in today then I wasted time + didn’t nourish my body well enough. Anyone with me?
This summer I’ve decided to train for a half marathon. It’s in September so I have the entire summer planned out for when I run, rest + do other exercises. This may seem very strict, but it’s actually been really freeing for me. On the “rest” days, I truly rest – my body, my mind, my anxious heart. I still eat whole + healthy foods on days off, but I give my body a break and don’t feel anxious because I know it’s good for me + I don’t rush or squeeze a workout in simply because I feel I have to.
Ask yourself: What is your current view of exercise? Is it healthy? Is there room for change or improvement?
04. Less clothes :: More room
Generally, the more room we have the more we feel the need to fill that space. Having space isn’t bad and filling that space isn’t bad either. But we want to be a people who think about where our clothes and stuff is going + how our clothes and stuff are being made.
Minimizing your wardrobe is unbelievably freeing! In the last 5 years I’ve gotten rid of 90% of the clothes I own. This has given me the freedom to create a wardrobe with a style that fits me and has given me room to purchase clothes that are ethically made, from second hand stores + articles that I absolutely love.
Ask yourself: Have you ever said to yourself: “I have so many clothes but nothing to wear”? Click here to find out how to get rid of your clothes in a healthy, thoughtful + wholehearted way!
05. More rest :: Less stress
Rest, a new hip + trendy fad that I hope isn’t just a fad. Resting well helps you live a healthier and whole life, it helps to nourish + sustain your body, it helps you to work better and harder + it has so many more benefits!
My husband and I have been sleeping in more, enjoying mornings together drinking coffee + eating breakfast on our porch. We’ve been cooking more meals together, relaxing at home in the evenings + spending Sunday’s – which are our Sabbath days – going to church, buying fresh veggies at a local farmers market, usually going on a coffee date and spending the rest of the day doing things we enjoy – whether that’s working on the car, cooking a new recipe or taking a nap!
Ask yourself: How are you creating rest in your daily, weekly + monthly schedule? Are you idolizing the idea of rest or is it truly mobilizing you to be healthier, more whole + a better worker?
Those are 5, and only 5, ways you can also slow down your summer. Feel free to be creative + come up with your own ways. Again, I would love to learn more about how you are creating a habit of being slow this summer, please share with me in comments below!