Did you take a little time last week to slow down?
Did you sip your coffee outside?
Work on a project you’ve been putting off?
Did you just get that one moment to close your eyes? How did it go?
It’s summertime and despite the old song lyrics, living isn’t always easy. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I still have the image of the happy summertime fantasy I read about in books, saw in movies, and sometimes think I remember from childhood: long summer days of reading, playing, swimming, and frozen otter pops.
Whether you still have children in the house or if you’re an empty nester,this is the year to bring back that lazy summertime feeling.
Years ago, I read a book by Peter Jones (yes, Peter. I’m recommending it again) called How to Do Everything and Be Happy. It’s a wonderfully cheeky and humorous book that gave me ideas about celebrating Boxing Day once a month, concentrating on three goals at a time, and writing lists and more lists in my daily diary. Over a decade later, I still occasionally go back to the book and rediscover something new.
My children used to see the familiar yellow smiley cover of the book all the time because I checked out the book multiple times from the library before finally buying an ebook copy about three years ago.
Inspired by knowing absolutely nothing about the book other than the title and cover design, my two youngest children created their own list on Being Happy. My children are adults now, but their list is timeless. This summer, you can either take a few tips from Matthew and Juniper, ask the children in your life to help with a Summer Happiness List, or dive in and make your own fun list. No matter what you decide, the main goal is all about making summer FUN
Matthew and Juniper’s Advice on Being Happy
- Jump rope
- Eat ice cream
- Pet your dog
- If no dog, buy or borrow one
- Get a cat. Make sure the cat doesn’t eat the dog.
- Have a root beer float
- Eat more ice cream
- Learn to play guitar
- Eat Oreos
- Go camping
- Take a nap
- Make paper airplanes
- Watch birds
- Draw
- Sit on a comfy bench
- Have a water balloon fight
- Read a book
- Play with friends
- Take a walk
- Have fun
Take some time this summer to play and have some fun despite the busy world we live in. Over the next few months Cozy Coffee Notes will be exploring more ways to relax and focus on self care. Subscribe to the newsletter and get Cozy Coffee Notes sent directly to your inbox. Be sure to come back Sunday morning for a little bit of extra Coffee Adventures.
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