Are you ready for summer? Well, ready or not, here it comes! Summer can easily fill up with activities, projects, and trips, so in today’s episode, Danielle offers ideas on how to really savor these summer months.
Snippet from the Show
Find times to be truly present wherever you are and with the people around you.
Shownotes
My new book, Whisper: Finding God in the Everyday, is available to order!
Be present.
Everything from maxed out schedules to our precious smartphones seems designed to pull us away from the present moment. But there is so much joy to be found in being truly present and soaking up all of the experiences you will have this summer. Make a plan to limit distractions and be fully present.
Make a list.
You can do this yourself, but I really recommend making it a family effort. Make a list of all the little things you want to do this summer. Go out for ice cream. Watch a movie outside. Go to a concert in the park. Write up your list together, and then post it on the fridge. Anytime you are bored or find yourself free this summer, consult the list and pick an activity!
Eat fresh foods.
Go to a farmer’s market or buy fresh produce from a local farm. Try some new foods and make salads a regular menu item. This way, you can really taste the joys of the season!
Do something new.
Take a class, sign up for a race, try a zip line. What activity or experience would you like to have? You can make this a personal challenge, or enlist your husband’s involvement or do it together as a family. Challenge yourself!
Read!
Many libraries have summer reading programs for kids, but why should the kids have all the fun? Look for some way to add more reading to your days this summer, at the beach, at the park, or in the hammock in your own backyard. What are some of your favorite fiction recommendations? I want to know!
Invite people over.
Sometimes we have anxiety about practicing hospitality, but the summer makes it casual and easy. Invite friends for a barbecue or invite another family over to enjoy your backyard fire pit some evening. Put the excuses away, and invest in building relationships and community!
Listener Question (26:58)
At the end of today’s show, I answer a question from listener Amanda who is struggling to keep up with laundry and feeling overwhelmed. I share my ideas, but I would love it if you shared some as well. Send me your best management tips for keeping up with laundry in a busy family.
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Danielle Bean
Danielle Bean is the author of many books on Catholic marriage, motherhood, and women’s spirituality, and a well-known Catholic podcaster and media figure. In all of her efforts, Danielle encourages and celebrates all women on their unique vocational paths. She is the host of the Girlfriends podcast as well as the author of Momnipotent: The Not-So-Perfect Woman’s Guide to Catholic Motherhood, Whisper: Finding God in the Everyday, and You Are Enough.
Danielle is a dynamic retreat leader and an engaging speaker on a variety of subjects related to Catholic family life, education, marriage, and motherhood. She has been married to her husband, Dan, for 26 years and together they have 8 children.
