Best. Summer. Ever.

Need some ideas so that you can create the best summer ever? Or at least a summer that registers in memory as one you enjoyed?

Have I got ideas for you.

Over the weekend, I hosted several Summer of Wonder workshops. These were free, one-hour workshops on Zoom that included a guided meditation, some journaling, and lots of fun conversation.

The idea behind these workshops was to make sure that nobody got to September and then wondered where the summer had gone. And one way to make sure that you participate in summer is to, y’know, PARTICIPATE IN SUMMER.

Ahem.

So I offered some prompts during the meditation, and here are a few of them:

Think about things you loved about summer as a kid. That could be chasing lightning bugs, making flower crowns, climbing trees, running around the yard in your pajamas . . .

Think about things you loved about summer as a young adult. Maybe jumping off a rope swing into a lake, or spending time at a pool or beach, or going to a drive-in movie.

Think about things you’ve loved about other past summers. Trips you’ve taken—maybe camping, or visiting family, or hiking in the mountains or staying near the water.

Think about foods you particularly enjoyed. Maybe something from the ice cream truck (a “choco taco” came up in one session), toasted marshmallows, or something like funnel cake.

Think about places you associate with the summer. It could be a fair or carnival or theme park. A campground or a resort. It could be time in a kayak or on a sailboat or other vessel.

Think about activities you enjoy, and the ones you’ve always wanted to try.

Think about gatherings you might want to host—a barbecue for a few friends, a night around the fire pit, a picnic, a family get-together.

And then PICK AT LEAST ONE and schedule time to do it.

The ideas from the workshops were FIRE

One woman remembered that she used to love shaved ice treats—and that she had a shaved ice maker packed away. Guess what she’s pulling out this weekend? She’s also going to be making plans to get away with her husband for a couple days.

One woman is going to take herself to an art museum. And also set up a trip to the beach. In the meantime, she’ll be on her balcony, blowing bubbles.

One woman is going to plan a surprise get-away for her husband to someplace where he can fish and she can spend time at a beach. She’s also planning to walk to her local movie theater and take in a movie all by herself in the middle of the day.

One woman is going to go horseback riding, because it’s been too long. She’s also going to plan a tea party picnic with her friend, with a Little Mermaid theme. That means costumes as well as themed food. (I want to go too, don’t you?)

Ideas ranged from trips (some inexpensive, some not) to events (barbecue, an outing with friends, a picnic) to simple fun (walking barefoot in the mud, blowing bubbles, buying a bomb pop from the ice cream man).

And me?

I’m going to suck a lemon.

Yes. Really. During one of the sessions, I remembered being a kid at the Narberth, PA 4th of July shindig, where they used to sell lemons that had been speared with a lemon penny candy stick. If you suck hard enough on the candy stick, eventually the lemon juice pulls up through it and you end up with sugared lemon juice in your mouth.

You better believe that this memory and idea have me tickled pink, so I’m going to delight myself by (literally) sucking a lemon.

Pictures to come.

What about you? What will you plan for yourself to make sure that you interact with this summer, and to delight yourself?

Want to make your own magic?

Sign up for a DREAM IT, DO IT workshop! The next one is happening on August 14th.