098 | Farewell to Summer

Between the start of the school year and turning the calendar to September, summer is essentially over. There are some things about that that make me sad: I’ll miss warm weather and unstructured days. There are some things about that that make me happy: Bring on cool temps and more structure!

However you feel about the changing of the seasons, it is a good time to look back and reflect on your summer experience. It is a good time to glean insights from your experience that can help you shape future summer experiences. Here are some of mine:

We had an impromptu pool party and potluck with neighbors on the last day of school. It was wonderful to connect, celebrate, and kick off summer well. We’ll definitely be doing that next June—except this time we’ll plan ahead a bit.

We traveled a lot this summer. It was wonderful to be with family again for weddings and a family reunion. It was wonderful to return to Martha’s Vineyard with dear friends. I wouldn’t trade those experiences. At the same time, next summer it will feel good to be at home and at the lake more. We already have two big things scheduled for next summer, so we will be cautious about adding much more away time to the calendar.

As you prepare to say farewell to summer, take some time this weekend to reflect or journal with the following questions. Be sure to capture your key insights and place them wherever they can be a reminder to you as you start planning and scheduling next summer.

• What moments from this summer were a source of joy for you?

• What aspects of this summer do you want to incorporate into next summer?

• What about this summer do you want to do differently next year?

Reflection Questions

Where will you store your insights for safe keeping?

When do you start planning for summer? What reminder will help you to remember to review your insights?