What are your summer plans?
Summer is here and the kick-off has been HOT. Here in Boise, we are enduring 100+ temperatures which are typical for a bit of each summer but rarely as early as the end of June. Though I am not thrilled about the heat, I am excited about what my schedule looks like for the next six weeks.
My Goals and Self-Care
You may know that I am the CEO and Executive Director of Camp Rainbow Gold, an Idaho nonprofit providing summer camps and other emotionally empowering experiences to children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Well, after many years of planning, strategizing, celebrating successes, and mourning losses — the vision of many and the hard work of thousands of minds and hearts are all coming together and Camp Rainbow Gold will welcome campers to their own new campsite in July.
Though this is my job it has also been a passion project for more than fourteen years. It started with a dream more than 20 years ago and led to buying property in 2019. Due to many plans being flipped upside down (and dare I say, many blessings arriving) in the wake of the pandemic, our team got creative and we are having our first camp on-site, two years ahead of schedule!
The work is not done and my role requires my dedicated attention. Plus, I love it! I could not be more excited to give my full attention to this effort and plan for the moment the first bus rolls into camp.
What does that all mean? I am taking up temporary residence on the campsite in Fairfield, Idaho to guide our team through not only the tail end of remodeling 14 buildings but also hosting camps in the middle of a pandemic for the first time on our new property. WOW. It is so exciting but I hope you can understand why it requires my full attention.
I’ve spent a lot of time considering how this summer would look and if I could continue to host workshops simultaneously. But for all the times I encourage my workshop groups to make self-care a priority, I need to practice what I preach. Right now, my self-care is devoting my heart and mind to Camp and my goal is to provide a memorable camp experience for these kids. I will be back in Boise in August and am excited to finish out the summer spending time with my family and planning my next steps to provide this community with more workshops and small group coaching. [shameless plug] I would love for you to learn more about Camp Rainbow Gold, please check out our website at www.CampRainbowGold.org and follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
How about you? Do you have a plan for the summer?
Summer is not the time to dismiss your goals and stop your self-care. You can have fun and stay focused. You can take care of the things that are important to you.
Don’t be tempted to do the summer “un-plug”. It is a time of year when we dive into all of the BBQs, camping, vacations, and fun events and throw all our newly developed habits out the window. Stay focused. There is no reason a change in seasons should mean a change towards bad habits again. Self-care does not change with the seasons. At least it shouldn’t.
Season changes or life challenges should not change how you are taking care of yourself. Don’t go down the rabbit hole of telling yourself, “it’s just for the summer, I’ll commit again at the end.” Or, “I deserve the break, I’ve earned a ‘cheat'”. None of those negative self-talk narratives, and they are negative, are going to serve you on the way to your goals.
If you need a little support and are part of any of my active Facebook groups (Take Action Workshop, Loving Yourself, or Self Sabotage) I have set up a summer journal journey that may help you stay focused for the next few months. Every week there will be a new journal prompt that guides you through a reflection exercise to support your work on living a life of intention and working towards your vision of a healthy, mind, body, and soul. So, no matter if you will be traveling, relaxing, working, spending time with family, and making great memories — do not forget the importance of self-care and reaching for your goals.
Have a great summer & I’ll be excited to share more in August.