Self Improving Summer

With everyone officially on summer break, it's nice to finally sit back to take some time off for enjoying life and the little things just a little bit more.


After coming home from college, naturally I was asked about what my summer plans would be: Where will you work? Who will you be seeing? What adventures have you planned out for yourself? When I really go thinking about it I realized my summer plans consisted of this...

A whole lot of nothing, and a little of whatever I wanted. 

Summer has always been a time to slack off to spend time doing all of these "do nothing" things because we feel like we've been doing everything for the previous nine months. Between class work, and real work, and all of everyday life's in betweens, we deserve this much needed break to refresh ourselves to do it all over again in the fall.

But what's the point of doing everything we have to do, and then never doing the things we want to do only because it's easier to do nothing.

And what's the point of doing nothing?

So this summer I'm challenging myself, and anyone reading this, to make this summer an investment of sorts. 

Instead of a summer of nothing, have a summer of the something you wish you had time to do when you had to do everything you didn't want to do. 

Invest in yourself. Do that Pinterest board called "summer fun", try the new recipe, read the new book, start a new hobby, try the new work out, and feel good about yourself in general. 

I don't know why we were ever taught to believe that a summer of complacency would be a summer that brings us the most satisfaction. Sure, you can say you watched all 9 seasons of The Office twice (believe me I'm just as guilty as everyone else out there), but did you learn anything? Did you grow in any way shape or form? Because the summer's free time should be used to actually do something that will make you feel a little bit more alive.

To put it qutie simply, invest in something other than the day time naps and Netflix binges. 

For example, some areas in my life that inspire some investment include...

• Redoing my room, because it's time for a big girl room.
• Reading good books, because to be a good writer I need to read great writers 
• Investing time in other people, because I have forever to spend with myself, and that gives me plenty of time for me to take care of others too.

I strongly believe that doing things you want to do and are passionate about, rather than binge watching Game of Thrones, will leave you just as satisfied, if not more, when your summer of productivity comes to a close. You'll feel accomplished, and proud of yourself for completing so much and learning that much more about yourself in the process

Take some time to feed the soul, and see how refreshed you feel after.

Happy summer everyone.