Why You Need to Slow Down This Summer
Have you gone on vacation only to return home and feel like you need a break? We plan a vacation and pack each day full of stuff. Then after catching the flight home, or making the road trip back you feel exhausted — like you need a vacation from your vacation! The summer can end the same way. And just like a vacation it goes by way faster than we anticipate. Maybe some of that is commercially forced on us (my wife and I were shopping for umbrellas last week, and they were in clearance to make room for back to school stuff…wow!). Anyway, those 2-3 months seem to be shorter and shorter each year. In addition to schools starting sooner and stores forcing back to school stuff on us we are part of the problem too. Enjoy those longer days, and just do nothing on some of them. Make the most of the time you and your spouse (or significant other) have. Here are 5 things you can do to slow down and enjoy the summer together. Do things that encourage conversation. Our devices pretty much run our lives and our relationships. It has sped our lives up. Stop trying to document every thing you do for social media, and start enjoying everything you do together. Set a goal for at least a week, and see how long you can without using your devices when together. We actually got caught in the start of a storm while riding, then the minute we reached shelter it started to pour. So, we parked our bikes and went inside a retail store and browsed together. Great, slow day. If you are like most couples you already have signed your kids up for something, or committed to be somewhere for something. Cancel it. It’ll be tough, and may actually ruffle some feathers, but your relationship will benefit, and you’ll love that “extra” time together. My wife and I aren’t outdoors people, but the thought of camping sounds fun, but I understand it takes a lot to pull it off. Instead of the great big camping trip where you pack up everything in and on top of the car, camp out in your own backyard…for a few days. You can go inside to use the bathroom, cook, and do whatever you want. But it is an easier and slower way to have a “camping experience” with the focus being on you both. Those are just a few suggestions. You may have others. Whatever you do, make an effort to slow down this summer. When summer comes to end you want to feel like you and your relationship have been refreshed, rejuvenated, and renewed. What can you do to slow down this summer? Read more from Jackie on his blog, JackieBledsoe.com, or receive his Babble posts in your inbox plus all his relationship posts from around the web by subscribing to his weekly newsletter!
