A Time to Have Fun (but don’t go crazy)

How to Stay Energized, Renewed and Balanced Throughout Your Summer, Part I

iGnite - June 12 journal pic

Point to Ponder:
What is something you have been hesitant to try, experience or say “yes” to?

by Neissa Springmann

It’s summer!!!!, which means that you can take a deep breath, exhale, stay up late, sleep in, paint your toe nails and finger nails multi-colors and experiment with bright lipstick. I don’t know why it takes a change in season to give myself permission to do these types of things, however I suppose like in Ecclesiastes 3, 1-8, and also quoted in the song Turn!, Turn!, Turn! by the Byrds, there is a time for everything:

For everything that happens in the life–there is a season, a right time for everything under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, a time to collect harvest;
A time to kill, a time to heal; a time to tear down, a time to build up; a time to mourn, a time to dance;
A time to scatter stones, a time to pile them up; a time for a warm embrace, a time for keeping your distance;
A time to search, a time to give up as lost; a time to keep, a time to throw out;
A time to tear apart, time to bind together; a time to be quiet, a time to speak up;
A time to love, a time to hate; a time to go to war, a time to make peace.

Reading a little further, in Ecclesiastes (3, 12-13) it says, “What good comes to anyone who works so hard, all to gain a few possessions. I know there is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good throughout our lives; to eat and drink and see the good in all of our hard work is a gift from God.” This is what I think summer is all about–it’s our season of harvest. A time to celebrate our seasons of hard work, to reap what we have sown, slow down, unplug, breathe, rest, be intentional with having fun, try new things, and chill out.

Throughout the next few weeks I am going to share a few tips that I hope will allow your body, mind and spirit to stay energized, renewed and balanced throughout the summer months. The objective is to minimize your need to achieve and be hyper-productive while maximizing the time you spend having fun and experiencing renewal.

My first tip is to Have Fun! (but don’t go crazy)- What I mean by this is to try new things and do more of what makes you laugh and smile. Paint your fingernails funky colors and experiment with shiny and different shades of lipstick. Turn music on throughout your house and play it loudly. Dance! Try new cocktails, eat ice cream and venture to new restaurants. Let go of self-induced expectations and judgments. Take a nap, read a book, and go to the movies. Be spontaneous. Say “yes” when you might otherwise say “no”. Say “no” when you might otherwise say “yes”.

Next, just as Amy Younkman suggested in the journal How Daily Discipline Can Set Your Summer Months Free, keep some structure throughout your summer. Even though you need to relax and focus more on fun, continue to prioritize your health. While on vacation, be sure to move. Embark in the organic activities within your destination, like hiking, and taking long walks and running on the beach, swimming, or exercising poolside or in a park. Long road trips as well as flying creates stiff and achy bodies, so be sure to stretch. (Click on our travel-friendly workouts: Pilates Stomach Series, HIIT Workout, Body Weight Circuit, 3-Step Workout, Swim Workout). (Click on our travel-friendly streches and yoga poses: Poses for Travel, Release Neck Tension during Travel, Tibetan Twisting, Flexibility Stretches , Heart Opening Yoga Series).

In addition, definitely splurge and indulge, but don’t over do it. Eat lean protein with each meal as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, and don’t forget to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and/or cranberry water. Flying in airplanes cause dehydration. Clean eating and adequate hydration will keep you feeling energetic and renewed, rather than bloated and puffy. And, for cleansing purposes, it never hurts to start and end your day with a cup of hot lemon water (1/2 juice of lemon with 8 oz of hot water). Hot lemon water, along with proper hydration will keep your bowels healthy. I know…bowel movements aren’t a desirable topic, but for many women this is a problem, especially when our daily routines and diets are thrown off. And, don’t forget about our delicious and high protein and fiber travel snacks: Black Bean Brownies and Peanut Butter Protein Bars.

There’s no doubt that every season (fall, winter, spring and summer) is a gift and should be celebrated, but summer is the season where fun and renewal must be a daily priority. It’s the season of absorbing the sun’s energy and letting loose so your body, mind and spirit can illuminate and you can shine bright throughout the remainder of the year.

Shine Bright this summer with our *new* summer bundles, apparel and goodies and I hope that during the summer you will Try Everything!