The Ultimate Summer DON’T Do List

This is the first time in a while where I haven’t created a summer bucket list. I’ve been so swamped with traveling and June is already flying by– I just kind of forgot about it completely! I love Maxie’s idea of setting a list of things to not do this summer to make the most of this short season.

(Also, just so you don’t miss it within the text: Max is doing her FIRST Instagram Live tonight, June 25, at 9 pm EST! I set a reminder on my calendar so I won’t miss it!)

The Ultimate Summer DON’T Do List

Guest post by Maxie McCoy

Now that summer is offish, what we’re able to fit into our long hours of daylight feels limitless. There’s just so much possibility and joy about these days that make this season one that many of us look forward to all year long. However, it’s pretty easy to let this time fly by and spend your energy on all the wrong things if you’re not thoughtful about it.

It doesn’t matter if you’re spending this summer as the final free days before you go off to college, or if this is your first summer working a real job, or if you’ll be waist deep in work with a long vacation to look forward to. At any stage of our lives, summer may look different, but the vibe is just as easy going.

I’ve always been in the habit of thinking about my summer bucket list – places to go, books to read, people to see – but so often our lives are created in the choices we make NOT to do something. It’s a powerful negative that creates amazing positivity. So over the next few months, consider not doing these things for a summer that is full of ease and bliss:

DONT:

Be intentionless… Intentions make everything we do more powerful. So decide today, what do you want your summer to be about? To feel like? Decide your intention for the summer and watch everything align to that. (Mine is: write, write, write, write.)

Be a phone addict… Carly has been on the receiving end of many of my freakout texts about wanting to chuck my phone in the pool and never look back. But in reality, our phone allows us a lot of flexibility. However, there’s no reason to have your eyes on that screen when so much of your summer is all around you. Look up. And engage with your life.

Worry about the future… It will come soon enough. So don’t look to the fall worrying about all the things that will happen then and all of the unknown that you’re facing overall. Stay present. And as a friend of mine says, “Be where your feet are.” PS If you’re feeling sorta lost about your future, I’ll be doing my first everrrrr Instagram Live Monday night (tonight!) at 9PM EST. Follow. We’ll chat.

FOMO… If you’re not invited to a party; if your vacation isn’t as cool; if your work seems less on point; if your view is lame compared to Instagram; don’t spend what IS happening in your life wishing it was someone else’s.

Overplan… Some of the best plans aren’t ever planned. Being available for an impromptu girls trip, or a late afternoon coffee sesh or a random creative morning is sometimes exactly what you didn’t know you needed.

Waste your energy…Your body is perfect as it is. So put on that swimsuit, love on your curves, your moles, your toes, and have a great time. Don’t spend an ounce of energy doing anything other than loving yourself as you are.

Stick to goals that don’t serve you anymore… This midway year point is a fabulous time to reassess your goals. How have the past few months gone? What do you still want to accomplish? What do you want to let go of? These mid-year reflection questions might help.

Leave your SPF at home… Wear it. Always. Skin cancer can happen at any age (I was 20 when I got melanoma!). So lather up, spray it on, and don’t get burned. Ok, ok, my mom spiel is over. But seriously, wear sunscreen.

Summer is going to be fabulous. Keep these off your list, and you’ll enjoy yourself even more.