R & R for Sunday, July 31st, 2011

R and R Tip # 60: Revisit the Secret of Summer Simplicity

Ever feel like filler in the sandwich of life? There are days when everything seems to be scrunching me out of place, till I'm totally surrounded by the world's demands and am only trying to squeeze more into my time and my mind than I can realistically achieve. These are the days when I feel like the filler.

Successful people know the secret of success is to believe in themselves and believe in the possibilities. When faced with a challenge, they don’t give up. They persevere. They believe they can do whatever it takes to get the job done

Make the most of what’s left of Summer and practice a little minimalism. It is the last day of July and then comes August. Here are some tips to help you live a little more simply this summer.

Get rid of clutter. Start by clearing out the things closest to reach; the things you have accumulated already this year. Regift it, upcycle it, or sell it. If you have books or computers or other educational items

Invest in a hammock. This particular idea probably needs no explanation.

Picnic. Instead of eating out, call some friends and have a picnic. You can pack some sandwiches, a chip or twenty, and some great raspberry lemonade. The afternoon will pass quickly as you chat, catch up, and share your summer tales

Hang up your car keys. Take advantage of the nice weather and get out of your car. Dust off your bike, pump up the tires, and cycle instead. It’s free, good exercise, and you can feel the cool summer breeze through your hai

Take a road trip. Granted, Route 66 may be long gone, and while I just talked about hanging up your car keys, road trips are still possible

Take in a movie. One of my favorite things to do is wait for a really compelling movie to come out and make an afternoon of it. When its very hot out it is nice to enjoy someone else's air conditioning.

Our summer is going so great with lots of fun and action and activity. But there is also lots of fatigue. Summertime, while wonderful, can also be exhausting. Ultimately too many joys go undiscovered. It’s a vicious cycle. We are only blessed with summer for a few months a year, so make every second count!

See you all next week!

Love, Live, Laugh and Be Happy!

ma