10 Reasons I Love Summer!

What do you love about Summer?

For me Summer is all about family, the great outdoors, relaxation and, because I’m in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas!  Down here we strangely dress Santa in swimming trunks, stick sunglasses on him and then still have him climbing down chimneys in a velvet suit!  Lol!  Some traditions are so endearing you will hold on to them for all you’re worth!  Summer is also about sharing, friendship, sunlight and sunburn!  It is a great big melting pot of deliciously enjoyable moments, AND deliciously enjoyable foods!  From picnics on the beach to roasts on the Christmas table, this is a season of indulgence.  And these are just the start of why I love Summer, so let’s get into it!

How do we get the most out of Summer?

1. Longer days!

In Summer you can get up with the sunrise, stay up to watch the sunset and then enjoy gazing up at the stars, all while fighting off the mosquito’s (but we’re looking at the positives here!).  What’s not to love about gaining hours of you sunlight in your day?  Let’s be sure to soak up every minute.

2. Enjoy the outdoors

There are so many opportunities to be out in nature.  Go for a walk, go boating, swim at the beach or just sip a cool drink on your patio!  Whatever it looks like to you, now is the time to get in touch with the earth around you.  It’s so much harder to do in Winter, so let’s take advantage while we can.  Pack a picnic and get out there!

3. Socializing

During the Winter months we tend to hide from the elements, meaning we miss out on so many great opportunities to socialize.  But, Summer, oh Summer!  What better time to have friends and family over for a BBQ!  Get the music going, lay on the snacks and grab a drink.  Add some good company and life is good.  You can stay up until the stars come out because you won’t freeze you’re pretty little backsides off!

4. Eat Healthy

Salads go down well in Summer.  So do Smoothies!  Try out some new recipes.  Maybe try making homemade sushi, or chia bowls.  Test out all those Pinterest recipes you’ve been saving for ‘one day’.  With longer days and some holidays coming up, now’s the time!

5. Limit Devices

Make the digital detox super easy and get outdoors with the family.  This is a real win for the Summer Top Favs list.  All the time outdoors does wonders for connecting with family and disconnecting from devices.  Summer is a real lifesaver in this department!  I promise, get some sand in between those toes and you won’t be thinking about Instagram!

Photo Credit: Briana Tozour on Unsplash

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6. Vitamin D

This natural mood enhancer lifts us all out of our funk and gets us laughing and energized.  Soak up the rays for that all-natural boost.  There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get from the sun, just make sure you’re looking after your skin while you’re basking in its warm embrace!

7. Family Time

Long school holidays mean plenty of quality time with the family.  Road trips, singalongs in the car, adventures and sleep-ins!  This is my idea of utopia!  One of my favourite things to do is lie on the trampoline (when it’s not too hot!), close my eyes and enjoy the weightless feeling.  Sound crazy?  Don’t’ knock it until you’ve tried it!

8. Swimming and Summer Fruits!

When I was younger we had 2 giant plum trees in the garden.  We used to pick the juicy plums and throw them into the pool, and that was us, all set up for a fantastic afternoon!  Both of these deserve to be on the list in their own right, but together!  When you think about it, you don’t need much to be happy.

9. Less Clothes!

You might have a laugh at this one, but I’m serious!  Yes, wrapping up in a warm coat or covering up with a blankie can be wonderful and comforting, but I’m definitely a strip down for comfort kind of girl.  Lol!  I’m a beach fan so it makes sense, right!  I love wearing sandals, shorts, sunglasses and bathing suits.  There is such a sense of freedom to wearing less and being more comfortable.

10. The Spirit of Giving

In November I did a post on Christmas Kindness and the spirit of giving.  If you haven’t read it yet, check it out here: Christmas Kindness: Share The Love .  This is a huge part of why I love Summer.  It is the wonderful spirit of giving that is palpable in the air.  It is a sense of caring, giving, loving and joy that we just don’t have any other time of the year.  We share so much more of ourselves at Christmas time.  We greet strangers in the mall with a smile, we donate toys to charity, we shower our loved ones with gifts, and our time.  It is a beautiful thing.  Do I wish we were like this all year round, yes!, but I will soak it up while I can.

It’s the Simple Things

All these things, this is what I’m talking about!  It’s all about the simple things in life.  So much pleasure to be had in the simple things.  How often do we think about what brings us true joy?  It’s not the latest perfume or pair of jeans.  These things have their place, of course, but pure joy comes from when we return to the simpler things.  It is the joy of the earth, the joy of human connection, the joy of nourishing foods.

Reflect on your life.  What brings you the most joy?  This post is about why I love Summer, but it’s about so much more than a season.  It’s about finding what brings you joy.  Picking out the good in any situation.  If you are reading this from a colder climate you will have other reasons to be happy!  We don’t get to see the snow at Christmas, but maybe you do!  Maybe you are sitting beside a fireplace, all snug and content, or maybe you are feeling blessed to be home with your family.  Maybe you are grateful to be healthy and safe.  We can all find something to be grateful for, and that is what this list is about.

These are the reasons why I love summer, will you share yours with me?!  Reasons to love Winter are good to!  I’m happy to celebrate with you!

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Steph x