Summers aren’t quite the same now as they were in the days of my youth – eating ice cream, lounging lazily by the pool, & having nothing but summer vacations & spending time with friends to think about for months. But, I still think there is something magical about those nostalgic, hot summer evenings, doing as much as you can before the sun goes down.
If you’re looking to add a little more excitement to your summer this year, read on for 50 summer bucket list ideas for adults that can fit into a weekday evening or a free weekend afternoon. Perhaps it will give just a little taste of those blissful summer days from so long ago.
Joseph & me at the farmer’s market a few hours before he proposed
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Self-care is important any time of year, but spring is the perfect season to take a little extra time for yourself. While the world is waking from its slumber & committing itself to new growth once again, you can do the same.
Spending some time to engage in self-care looks different for everyone. It’s important to match the type of self-care you use with what is actually beneficial & meaningful to you. A bubble bath can be a great way to relax, but if you don’t have a comfortable place to soak, your muscles don’t need to relax, or, even worse, if you don’t even like soaking in baths, this may not be the best way to engage in self-care for you. I find it interesting when people force themselves to do self-care, & they choose an activity that they don’t enjoy & get it done like just any other task on their to-do list. Self-care should be something that you need & that brings relief & relaxation to your life in some way. This means that sometimes it is indulgent, like eating chocolate or bingeing on your favorite Netflix show, but sometimes its actually less glamorous, like cleaning out your closet or spending a day getting all the things done that never make it onto your to-do list. No matter what, at the end of your activity, you should feel some sort of relief & feel better about your current state in life.
With that being said, I love to theme my activities to the season I am in, personally & in the world. Spring is a perfect time for self-care because there are so many things you can do! Listed below are 10 ways you can engage in self-care this spring. As stated above, make sure you choose one that is meaningful to you, & enjoy your self-care time! You deserve it.
The weather has finally gotten warmer, which means it is the perfect time to go for a relaxed walk outdoors & enjoy some fresh air. If you are looking to get your heart & adrenaline pumping a little more, go for a run or bike ride. The clean air & physical activity are good for your mental & physical health.
The time for spring cleaning is here, but this doesn’t have to be treated like just another annoying task you have to complete. Making your environment clean & orderly is beneficial for your mental health. A cluttered space encourages a cluttered mind. Take some time to purge your house of things you no longer need, & then take some time to clean up & maybe even decorate your environment in a new way that brings you joy, not just for the day, but for months to come.
3. Make a healthy meal with ingredients from the farmer’s market
Me & Joseph buying ingredients from the farmer’s market the day he proposed
Healthy food nourishes our body & helps us feel our best. Why not support a local farmer’s market & take some time for yourself by making a gourmet meal with all fresh ingredients? It’s a fun activity, & a healthy way to take to nourish your body.
Now that the weather is warmer, it is the perfect time to go for a trip. Plan your itinerary for little getaway in your local tourist spot, or make it more spontaneous & just walk around the area to see what attracts you most. You can do it alone for some quality time with you, or go with your family or a friend for some much-needed social time.
If you’re anything like me, your skin is feeling a little dry & pale after a long, cold winter. Try out a new skincare routine to help moisturize your cracked skin & give it a fresh glow for the new season.
6. Plant a garden
My brother, Jake, & me collecting the produce from our garden my junior year of high school
It’s good for you, & its good for the environment, too. Spend some time getting in some physical activity by planting a garden, & then reap the benefits for months to come with the fresh, healthy & delicious produce you harvest. Or, plant a flower garden & let the bright colors & lovely scents bring you joy every day.
If you aren’t into gardening, bring spring into your home by buying yourself some fresh flowers. Put them in a lovely vase on your table or wherever you will see them to brighten your space. A little touch of spring indoors is a great way to celebrate the season & show yourself some love.
My new favorite crafting hobby is paper crafts with Washi Tape! This is the valentine I made Joseph this year
Spring is the time of new beginnings, so why not try something new? If you want to do something healthy for your body, try a new exercise routine or start cooking more healthy meals at home. If you’re just looking to engage your mind in a new way, why not try a new craft or start doing crossword puzzles. Whatever appeals to you or whatever you have been wanting to try, this is the perfect time to start doing it.
I hope you found a new self-care activity that excites you. Try to give yourself a little time each day, even if it’s just a few minutes, to give yourself a little extra love & care. Your body, mind & soul will thank you.
What’s your favorite way to engage in self-care? Leave me a comment below!
Do you need a little more inspiration? Download my free printable self-care calendar for April! It has a different activity idea for every day, making it the perfect way to remind you to spend some time for yourself daily, as well as try out different self-care activities if you’re not sure what you like best. It helps when we support each other, even with self-care, so stay tuned to my social media next month for my own journey with self-care, using this calendar & article for inspiration.
P.S. Self-care shouldn’t feel like work. Why not get it delivered to your doorstep every month? The Sunshine Box is a personalized self-care subscription box that is filled with items picked out just for you! It’s the perfect way to show yourself a little extra love each month. Learn more & subscribe here.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” –Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last week, I shared about how important it is to take care of yourself. This week, we are going to talk about the importance of serving others.
We all play a part in making our world a better place. Every day, our actions affect those around us. It is up to us whether these people are impacted in a positive or negative way.
When many people think of service, they think of building homes in impoverished communities or volunteering at a soup kitchen. But there are small things you can do every day in your life to help others, and many of them take minimal effort, if any. Giving someone a compliment, smiling at passerby, or letting someone merge in front of in you in traffic are all examples of random acts of kindness that give other people hope and encouragement.
I think we can all agree that the world right now is hurting even more than usual, and we can all use a pick-me-up because of it. Start the chain of kindness by committing to doing one random act of kindness a day. These can be grand gestures, like paying for someone’s bill at a restaurant, or as simple as holding the door for someone. If you need inspiration, check out the free printable below – it has a different random act of kindness every day so you are constantly challenging yourself to have new experiences and serve your community in new ways.
Self-care is always essential, but now it seems even more important than ever. Stresses from back-to-school season, the election, and the looming holidays, all amid a global pandemic, are enough to make anyone feel tense.
Taking care of yourself is an important first step in making sure you can handle the stresses of daily life and still be able to give to others. Self-care is not selfish. It’s a way to make sure your needs are taken care of, so you are able to give more during your daily life.
Self-care looks different for everyone. For some of us, it’s taking hot bubble baths, reading books, or sipping a mug of hot tea. For others, it’s making time to visit with friends and family. And for some people, it’s making time to meal prep, write budgets, and create nightly routines that promote a good night’s rest. What’s important is not what the activity is, but rather that it helps you feel rejuvenated, relaxed, and ready to tackle your next life challenge.
If you aren’t sure what works best for you, check out the free printable below! You can use it simply as inspiration, or follow it for a new, self-care activity each day.
