Summer brings out the feelings of our youth.
School is out, we’re more carefree and often days are spent with our feet in the sand and exploring warm nights under the stars. We gather around family reunions, BBQs and beaches feeling “it’s time” to reconnect with what matters. We also recognize that it’s time to make space to enjoy what we are so grateful to have. It’s like the earth draws us a warm bath and we step into it with ease and grace – delighted at the idea that we can have more.
And then September rolls around and we say, “how did it go so fast?” “I don’t want it to end!” with the same level of enthusiasm as if it were a new concept. It’s the same pattern, yet we always seem so shocked when the time flies away. What we don’t always realize is we have the ability to prolong that feeling through our own personal growth.
This year, I encourage you to make a “Summer Bucket List” not only to get more from these sweet months but also to make room for your own evolution in this human experience. In no particular order, I’ve made a list of 11 things I personally recommend to add to your summer bucket list that will make you a better human.
1. Read: Dare to Lead – As a workplace culture and engagement consultant, this book was a breath of fresh air! Brené Brown continues to deliver clean, clear, actionable advice on how to create a better human experience in the workplace through mindful leadership, boundaries, accountability, and empathy.
2. Watch: Christopher Robin – I watched this gem not knowing its theme or even having an affinity towards the Winnie the Pooh series. I had tears streaming down my face throughout the movie as lesson after lesson after lesson presented itself on how we lose our sense of curiosity, creativity, and wonder as we become adults and how to get it back. My favorite line was, “Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something.”
3. Attend: Values Workshop – I was so honored recently when someone said, “This is a workshop to be a better human. Everyone needs to experience this.” And then I heard a variation of it again, and again, and again. My Life Lens (August 17th) and Love Lens Workshops (July 13th) are all about helping people understand that they are feeling drained not because they’re doing too much, but because they’re doing too little of what is a reflection of their values. These mini-retreats are an incredible way to jump-start your own evolution in honoring your past to align your future.
4. Listen: Elizabeth Gilbert Podcast – I just about started clapping and hooting into my car stereo when I listened to this talk that Elizabeth Gilbert gave on Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations. She talked about the pressure that so many of us have to find our purpose – and how terrible it feels to be someone who doesn’t know what that is. Elizabeth gives amazing advice on how to lean into curiosity to discover yourself from a place of grace and flow. It’s a refreshing perspective on a heavy topic.
5. Read: The Alchemist – I finally read this book in the new year after hearing its name for years. The lessons and morals in this story are such an incredible depiction of life and the ways that we discover ourselves and purpose in life. This timeless classic is one to absorb its wisdom if you haven’t already.
6. Watch: The Secret – Another great gem from many years ago that now serves as a pillar in our home. We will literally watch this movie on repeat and make a point to view it every couple of months. This movie shares “the secret” to the law of attraction and how to manifest the life of your dreams through your mindset. And after going through a Law of Attraction program, this couldn’t be more in line with my personal experience with harnessing its power!
7. Attend: Personal Retreat – Take yourself away, alone! This is either a super scary or super exciting idea to most people. I used to be the one in the “super scary” end of the spectrum. What would I do all day? Who would I talk to? Wouldn’t I get lonely? Once I pushed through those questions, I discovered how incredible it is to give yourself space to simply be. So whether you go with a goal in mind (like writing or reading a certain amount) or not, you’ll be able to get to know yourself in ways that will serve you well-past the retreat.
8. Listen: InsightTimer – If you’re looking for a way to create a stronger practice in mindfulness or meditation, this is the place to go! Use InsightTimer’s free app to gain access to thousands of guided meditations, courses, talks, music and more! If you’re new, start with their course on how to meditate. It’s incredible how much this platform has to offer and I’m thrilled to be joining their host of teachers when my course launches in the coming months!
9. Read: The Four Agreements – Earlier this year I had the pleasure of spending time with Don Miguel Ruiz and his sons at a Gathering of the Shamans in Sedona. It reminded me of this incredible book that I read back in high school. His four agreements have helped me to evolve and live a life of personal alignment. Especially #2, “Don’t take anything personally.” Can you imagine what would shift if we all functioned from that space?
10. Watch: Heal – This is a documentary that we recommend to everyone. Literally, every single human would benefit from spending the time to receive the information this video has to offer. It’s currently streaming on Netflix and will get to re-think the way you approach the process to heal your body from chronic pain and disease. We have so much more power than we allow ourselves to own.
11. Attend: Tribe Gatherings – Whether it’s a reunion, weddings, BBQs or time around a fire pit, making the space to connect with the people who make up your tribe is always critical in helping to stay grounded and aligned in what matters most, your relationships. These gatherings are the ones that create memories that last a lifetime and stay with you when you need a reminder of how loved you already are.
What will you do with these beautiful months of summer? Will you choose to evolve in your human experience?
