A 3 step plan for making the most of your summer days.

I can’t believe it is already the 4th of July. This summer, I haven’t embraced the slower pace that I normally try to cultivate because I’ve been busier than usual. Which is also why the pause has been on a bit of a pause.

Here at the Koru Center we have been putting our time and energy into creating the new Koru App. We plan to bust it out in early August, and it is just about ready to go. I can’t wait to show it to all our Koru students, former and future.

So I’ve been busier than usual, which brings me to the point of today’s pause: enjoying life, even when you are busy.

 

It’s a funny affliction, isn’t it, our constant busy-ness? I listen to students on campus greet each other and it’s always the same response to “How ya’ doin’?”  “You wouldn’t believe how busy I am!” or sometimes, just “Busy!” 

It’s kind of weird that “busy” has replaced “fine” or “good” as the standard response to being greeted. 

One of the problems with feeling busy all the time, is that we get in the mindset that we are going to wait to enjoy ourselves until we are no longer busy.

It’s as if we imagine that we are going to reach a point when all of our tasks are done, our worries are resolved, and then we are going to relax and live our lives. 

We keep pushing our enjoyment off into the future, but the future never comes. Obviously, the future stays in the future.

The thing is, even if we are having a busy day, today is the only day we truly have. Instead of thinking about how awesome things are going to be in the future, we can spend time thinking about how to make the best of each day, how we can make something interesting or pleasant happen–even if just for a few minutes–every day.

Even in a busy day there is the possibility of taking a break to thoroughly enjoy a delicious meal or an iced coffee. To step outside and see if you can hear the birds singing or feel the wind on your face. To dance to your favorite song while you make dinner or clean up the kitchen in the evening. To laugh with a friend over a funny Tweet. 

So what are you doing this summer? Can you commit to spending a few moments each day soaking up some of the pleasure that the long, hot days of summer offer up? 

Try these 3 steps this summer:

1. Put a small notebook next to your bed. 
2. When you wake up, DO NOT reach for your phone. Instead reach for that small notebook. Take a moment to think about the possibilities in the day ahead of you. 
3. Jot down 3 things you want to make happen today to make the day satisfying or pleasant or meaningful. 

Be creative and have fun with it. Maybe you want to fist bump a stranger on the way to work. Or get a cup of coffee for the homeless guy you pass everyday. Or maybe you want to take a walk in the park, call your mom, re-watch your favorite movie, notice the color of the sky at sunset, put fresh sheets on your bed, buy yourself flowers. 

We’re on Instagram! Make sure to connect with us for tips and inspiration!

The possibilities are endless. All that is required is that we remember that our time on this beautiful planet is limited, and that each day is a gift for us to dive into with curiosity and gratitude. 

Enjoy your summer. And if you want, share below the 3 things you will do to make the most of this day

Photo by KE ATLAS on Unsplash

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