Juliana Moves

I’ve gotta tell you: I am having a fantastic time. This summer has been an absolute blast. As an adult, time always seems to be going faster and faster and the seasons feel harder to appreciate. Throw in other responsibilities and life expectations and it is really easy to lose your grip on all the fun things and potential around you. (AKA all of last year for me). This summer, though?! It may be the first summer since college that really feels right. I am having so much fun, using my time to pursue more joy and fun (most of the time, I still brain rot on the couch plenty), and generally appreciating the days as they come.

The extreme humidity has arrived in DC in lockstep with the start of July so the weather has certainly been better, but I don’t mind sweating. And while the absolute dream would be to be independently wealthy and just gallivant around with all the time in the world all summer, I think I am doing a pretty good job gallivanting with the free time I do have!

I am still trying to figure out how to strike the right rhythm for all of my hobbies and interests. I want to run and lift and climb and read and SUP and cook and decorate our house and hang out with people and go river snorkeling and travel every weekend and try new things all in one day! Since that isn’t really reasonable, I’m doing my best to spread it out throughout the summer. 🙂 

Here are my tips for having a fantastical summer as an adult (as tested by me this summer):

Keep your party time bags packed

You better believe that the pool bag is hanging on the staircase bannister stocked with a towel and sunscreen. All I have to do is put on a swimsuit, fill up my water bottle, and grab a book.

My little backpack with my climbing gear is hanging in our front hallway closet with my shoes and harness. Again, all I have to do is grab a water bottle and I am ready to go to the climbing gym!

What do you need for your favorite activity? What does it mean for you to keep your party time bags packed?

Commit this to memory: “It’s easier to stay out than get out.” – Mark Twain

(also: Newton’s First Law of Motion)

The man is right. I remind myself of this when I am in that post-work, heat-drained funk. Drink at least 15 oz of an electrolyte beverage and go do something. 

Also, I know that we are in a world and time that demands a lot from people mentally, physically, and emotionally so it is important to emphasize rest. That said, I think that we immediately associate rest with doing nothing when I am prepared to argue that doing something you love joyfully can be even more restorative. Maybe the default move of watching a TV show is not as restful as it seems…? Maybe it is, I don’t know you! I’m just gently offering an alternative.

Get really, weirdly interested in something random and then double down

I think we’ve all probably interacted with a kid that is so deeply invested in something totally random. Maybe you were that kid! The childlike curiosity that is required to learn about a topic without any professional or personal benefit can be hard to garner as an adult. After all, we have jobs and other things to take care of! 

But when was the last time you learned about something random just for the sake of learning something new? Not to keep up with the latest news or to sound intellectual, by the way. I know nonfiction is not always people’s go to summer read (understandably), but maybe you can use it as a gateway to have childlike wonder for the world again.

For me, it’s beavers. Earlier this summer I read Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America by Leila Philip and now I am obsessed with beavers. They are such strange, creative creatures! And I even spotted a beaver dam in WV! Do you know how exciting that was for me?! There were no words for my joy.

By no means do you have to read a book to find wonder, but if you need a jumping off point, here are a few other books I am looking forward to soon:

• And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails by Wayne Curtis
• US History in 15 Foods by Anna Zeide
• Why Fonts Matter by Sarah Hyndman
• Egg: A Dozen Ovatures by Lizzie Stark

Make a plan, like a legit schedule

Right off the bat I have to admit that sometimes I like a schedule a little too much. But! But! I do think they are important and are the key to adventure success. I’m not saying you have to plan out every minute of your day. I just want you to really consider what it is exactly you’d like to do on a weekend, weeknight, or in your hours before work starts and then also consider what is required to ensure success for those plans. Here’s an example:

It’s Friday and we have no plans for the weekend, but we know we want to go trail running somewhere new. Well, we’ve got to pick a route, decide an appropriate departure time, consider packing a tailgate lunch for after and more! I know those things sound like a chore, but it’s really just in the pursuit of a kickass time. And speaking from experience, not taking the time to think those logistics through usually ends up with hanger (hunger anger), a later than desired start to the day, and running a route we’ve done 184 times already.

The same is true for weeknight activities. If I know I’ll be hungry coming home from work, maybe I need to pack a hefty snack for the car ride home. Maybe I need to pick a time and just absolutely stick to it. I do a whole lot of mental “I need to be out the door by 6 pm” reminders. 

All this to say, make a success plan for yourself. You don’t have to take yourself too seriously but you deserve to set yourself up for success – and fun!

I hope you are having one of the greatest summers ever! And, if not, I hope things only look up from here.

Love,

Juliana