Summer of Yes or Summer of No?

Scrolling through my social media feed this week, I just started cracking up, .

The first ad I saw was for a program called, "The Summer of Yes!". The very next ad was for a program called, "The Summer of No!". (Yes, seriously. I'd show you the ads, but don't want to disparage the coaches - I'm sure they are both great programs.) It got me thinking...

So, which one is it for you? Summer of YES or Summer of NO?

How about both?

If you've been around me a hot minute, you've heard me say: Every time you say yes to something, you are saying no to something else. Usually, this is in the context of overcommitting or signing up for things you really don't want to do. It's also a very effective framework for thinking about how to get what you want out of your summer.  

Here's how I'm using it to be intentional about my summer...

I am saying YES to:
- Slow mornings (no meetings before 9 AM)

- Sunshine and being outside (running out to put my feet in the grass, stretch breaks on the deck between calls)

- Taking better care of myself, refocusing on my nutrition and overall health

- A ridiculous amount of summer movies (we got an unlimited pass for the summer - hello Top Gun on repeat!)

I am saying NO to:
- Conquering my to-do list (if it doesn't get done, it doesn't get done)

- Pretzeling* myself and my calendar to do anything that doesn't absolutely fill my cup (*my new favorite made-up verb)

- Turning my pile of books into "required reading" (it's a joy, not a have-to!)

- Making sure my kids are busy and occupied (they are kids, being bored is a good thing!)

I could keep going and going on this YES/NO list. In fact, since I've been thinking about it, I'm now noticing many more things that will go in either column. It's really raised my awareness about what I want to experience this summer.

You get to create the summer you want - one yes or one no at a time.

What are you saying Yes or No to this summer???