Summer is the time when days are long and routines are more flexible. Wouldn’t you like to make this summer full of 
renewal, rejuvenation, and transformation? It’s attainable with just a little bit of forethought and planning, Embrace the idea, and you’ll have something to show for the summer – a change you can look back on and feel genuinely good about.
To make this shift requires putting yourself first. Realize you are making the choice to do something important for you. You can do this by taking a pause and asking yourself, “What would make me feel proud at the end of the summer?” You know!
Make a concrete plan to commit time to actualizing your goal. What you select needs to be reasonable and doable. Write it down. Get specific about logistics – exactly who, what, when, and where? Map out the time on your schedule.
Here are five possibilities:
- Acquire a new interest or hobby. Perhaps you always wanted to learn to play the guitar or plant a garden. Find a good teacher and sign up for lessons or locate a helpful resource.
- Travel to a desired location. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of taking a cross-country trip or canoeing in Algonquin National Park.
- Focus on personal growth to reconstruct an attitude. Maybe check out the Hollyhock Learning Centre schedule and attend a workshop on Cortes Island, BC.
- Volunteer with a cause you admire. There are so many worthy organizations just waiting for you. Whether you’re drawn to helping children or the homeless, or are passionate about animals or the environment, the options are endless.
- Set a health goal. Exercise regularly, join a softball league, say “no” to eating sugar.
Tell someone, preferably someone who also would also like to make this his or her best summer yet. Make an agreement to check in periodically, not for a guilt trip, but as a cheerleader and coach, offering encouragement and support.
Keep your goal in mind, ignore the excuses, and just do it. You’ll be proud of what you’ve accomplished and pleased with the results.
By the way, I’ll be leading a workshop about Attitude Reconstruction at the Hollyhock Learning Centre on Cortes Island, B.C., August 14 to 19. Click here for details.
