Have you ever said “I need a vacation after my vacation”? I know I have!
Summer travel and entertaining can be exhilarating but exhausting – and disruptive to your self-care routine.
How about we do both? With the simplest of shifts, we can.
There’s no question that summer is a busy time. The kids are home from schools, vacations are planned, and backyard barbeques are enjoyed by all.
My family owns a cottage on a lake, and I look forward to weekends of hosting friends and family as we reconnect over food and the firepit. But it also means that my normal schedules going to the gym, meal time, and work fly out the window!
There’s no question that summer is a busy time. The kids are home from schools, vacations are planned, and backyard barbeques are enjoyed by all.
My family owns a cottage on a lake, and I look forward to weekends of hosting friends and family as we reconnect over food and the firepit. But it also means that my normal schedules going to the gym, meal time, and work fly out the window!
At the end of the summer, we often find ourselves a little “puffy” from all the evening cocktails and dessert spreads. Parents everywhere are ready for their children to go back to school. My clients have told me “I can’t wait to get back to a routine.”
With some simple tricks, we can bring routine and self-care into our summer vacation.
No time for meditation? How about 3 minutes…
Believe me, I get it. I’m always hosting, which means I’m the first one up brewing coffee or tea and making sure everyone is taken care of in the morning. Or I need to rush home from the afternoon activity straight into the kitchen to fix appetizers and meals. There’s no time for a 30-minute meditation by myself.
This 3-minute hang feels so good. It stretches out your body and releases all the stress and tension (physical, mental, and emotional) back into the group. It’s both refreshing and relaxing – and it’s only three minutes.
Use this 3-minute hang any time you need to transition between activities, need a release of tension, or need to quietly center yourself but don’t have a lot of time.
Fresh food that’s fun…and nourishing
Do you associate parties with special treats that are outside of your normal diets? I have found myself munching mindlessly on potato chips on someone’s back deck more than once. Next thing I know, I’ve eaten half the bowl!
Party food doesn’t have to be empty calories that make you feel bloated the next day. Because I’m a foodie at heart, I’ve created easy entertaining dishes that are delicious and won’t make you wake up with regret.
And because my clients are primarily busy women with too many things on their plate, I know that these recipes have to be easy, or else they’ll just sit in a drawer. No one wants to spend hours in the kitchen during the summer.
Click here for one of my favorite recipes: Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette and Toasted Macadamia Nuts. You can serve it as a side dish or an appetizer, and my husband will tell you that it makes excellent leftovers (he puts it on his sandwich). Best of all, it’s not mayo-based so you don’t have to worry about it sitting out in the sun.
Use intentional movement to keep you flowing
Exercise often takes a backseat during the summer. Sure, we walk a lot during our vacations but don’t always have access to strength training or quiet places for yoga routines. Our bodies still crave that physical attention to realign, strengthen, and release.
Maybe you can’t take your gym to your beach house, but I’ve got the next best thing. In summer mode, we’re usually active – hiking, kayaking, strolling through the city – or sitting in seats that don’t necessarily support our backs.
Your vacation should truly be a vacation!
We shouldn’t have to escape from our vacation and recreation. The answer is easier than you think. Forget the “massive changes” and strict regimens. Energized living is all about ease.
Curious about how you can make micro shifts of magnificent change?
Check out my easy-breeze 6 week course where we’ll bring ease and play into our lives in just 1 hour a week.
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