People talk about summer like it’s a fantastic magical time of year. For some it is and for others it’s not. Maybe you are a parent of a neurodivergent child who won’t have help now. Or your spouse works more hours in the summer, so you feel like a lonely single mom. Maybe you love your kids, but don’t enjoy spending every waking moment with them. There are a million other circumstances on that sliding scale of excited for summer break to dreading it. Moms fall all along that sliding scale. If you are a little or a lot freaked out about summer coming, then this blog post is for you. Here are three tips from a life coach on how to enjoy your summer this year.
1. Decide Intentionally
How are you feeling about summer? How do you want to feel about summer break? What would your perfect summer look like? Take a few minutes and brainstorm or journal on what you want your summer to look like. Just remember there is no correct or wrong answer. It doesn’t matter what other people want. I want to know what YOU want. Dream big! What if money and time weren’t barriers what would you do? Write it all down.
Once you get it all written down, decide what you want to actually do. Brainstorm all the ideas on how you can make that happen. But the ultimate goal is to know what you really want out of your summer.
2. Routine vs. Schedule
How do you want to structure your summer? Are you a routine person, one who has a general idea of how their day goes then ebbs and flows with it.
Or are you a scheduler? You know what is going on and when. It’s all in there, maybe even color coded on the calendar.
Or perhaps you just go with the flow. Whatever sounds good is what you do today.
None of these answers is the “right answer.” It all depends on how they make you feel. Maybe not having a plan brings you a lot of anxiety. Then going with the flow isn’t for you. But on the other hand the idea of a strict schedule seems suffocating. So maybe you are routine kind of gal.
Or maybe knowing that the kids will have nap time at a certain time everyday is comforting to you. Then you do you and be a scheduler.
The point is not to just fall into one or do one because it’s what you’re “supposed to do.” Be intentional about what works and feels best in your life. Only you will know the answer to that.
3. Is this Funny?
Humor can be the solution to a lot of stress as a stay at home mom. How can you laugh at the situation? Maybe you decide to laugh at the crazy things that your kids say in public instead of being embarrassed.
Laughter often feels better then negative emotions. But what if you can’t get to laughter?
Then lets try out curiosity instead. Your daughter sasses you. Can you be curious why she might sass you instead of going straight to anger? Or wonder why those kids keep asking you for snacks and something new to do?
The way we think about things dictates how we feel. So why not decide now how you want to feel and work towards that.
Now I’m not saying you will find every situation funny or understand why they do what they do. But if you can half the time, your life will feel much better.
Need help deciding what you want for your summer break? Or you can’t get to curiosity? Book a free 30 minute Zoom call with me. Together we can get you set up for a better summer. Just click this link to schedule a time that works best for you.
Let’s get you feeling better about summer!
Until Next Time
-Keira
