Summer Adventure, ho!
HOW I got to be laying here on my bed with bright red finger and toe nails, naked, is not really important. My point is that summer is here! I had a friend ask me how I stay so in touch and enthusiastic about summer when it seemed like just more days going by to her, and it got me thinking. So while I cannot get dressed for a minute (until my nails are dry) I will take time to remind you, dear friends, about summer.
SKYE'S GUIDE FOR THE ADVENTUROUS:
Summer!
Get outside.
Many of you work long hours in an office building and my hat's off to you. But it's summer, and your body needs you to help it clue in so go outside. Take 'non-smoking breaks', just to stand and breathe for a few moments. Go outside for lunch, or park farther away so you have to walk. Go for a walk when you get home, while dinner's cooking, whatever. Even if you're not in the sun your body will pick up on subtle hints in the air (though really - you can't get home any earlier than that?!? Poor thing). Commit to taking some time on weekends to be out of the house or office - I go downtown to parks, walk about the city, go to the mall. Yes I do it alone and that's fine because it's just nice for me to be a part of the world and humanity changing over into summertime.
Winter is an inside time, but summer is for being outside and also being with friends. Those in jobs do the same thing all the time and life may go by too fast - so help the year seem cyclical, as it should be, by making extra effort to welcome and embrace summer. Buy fresh fruit, invite friends out, sit on the front porch or balcony or patio or front stairs and stargaze. (My condolences to those in other climes - but hasn't the sky been GLORIOUS lately, CO peeps?!)
Fashion
If you need one, get a new bathing suit. 3+ years? You need a new one (unless you adore yours). Ditto for flip-flops, shorts and tennis shoes. Do I have to mention underwear? I would recommend, if you can, that you look around at the new fashion this season and get a few new pieces. In my opinion, 'peasant' is the new black and yellow is the new gray. Remember to work with your own style (i.e. yellow looks divine on me, but I drown in anything peasant.) You can have coffee at home for a few weeks in order to save money to use on clothes; as a result, you'll feel like you look good when you go out and you won't get so easily stuck in a rut.
Shave/pluck/etc.
Yes, time again to be fastidious about this, girls, so that you're prepared for last minute invitations. When you have to shave your legs you may go with those baggy pants instead of that cute little dress, and likewise you may turn down a swim if you are less than prepared for the exposure, eh? So take those excuses off the board by keeping up on all this hygiene stuff proactively. Plucking/waxing will last longest, shaving shortest.
Feet
On the note of hygiene, everyone take a look at your heels from behind as you wear those flip-flops or cute slides. Cracks? White and thick heels? Dry? You can do something about that! You've seen the pumice stones and files that are out there for feet - just a few minutes in the shower every other day and you'll be smooth and pink in no time. Mmm, sexy, no?
Fake it
Many of us feel a little vulnerable about how we look in the summer with less on. My advice? PRETEND. Pretend you're confident, or even that you're someone else, and soon you WILL be confident. Remember that if something on your body is bugging you? Use that energy to work on it or change it instead of complaining about it. You can do it!
Regarding body issues within a relationship - I tell you now: your guy/girl isn't looking at nor does s/he care about the imperfections that are so clear to you. If she does? Unless you have REALLY let yourself go, this person liked you for who you were for the whole of your relationship - so there was something else wrong before this issue of your imperfection came up and your body is just the excuse and casualty. Don't point out flaws to your partner, point out your good points! Also consider that it's perhaps unfair to make your partner the savior of YOUR self-esteem, so that you rely on his input as your only source of self-image. ( However, if your partner doesn't ever tell you that s/he likes you or you're sexy or you look good, well then... maybe you should move on.)
Little things
Do the little things that make you happy, a wise man once told me. And he kept telling me this for a whole year, until I got the point - little things DO make us happy! Take time to lay in the grass, feel sand between your toes, jump into a pool with a splash! Have fun, be free, take a time out. What do you like to do in the summer? You can go back to the status quo come winter, but don't be conservative this summer - be extravagant, be daring, be bold! Be adventurous and gutsy! Take what you know you want - and then be generous in sharing!
You start doing these things and I can GUARANTEE YOU that you will have a great and memorable summer. What are you waiting for? Go on, start now!
SKYE'S GUIDE FOR THE ADVENTUROUS:
Summer!
Get outside.
Many of you work long hours in an office building and my hat's off to you. But it's summer, and your body needs you to help it clue in so go outside. Take 'non-smoking breaks', just to stand and breathe for a few moments. Go outside for lunch, or park farther away so you have to walk. Go for a walk when you get home, while dinner's cooking, whatever. Even if you're not in the sun your body will pick up on subtle hints in the air (though really - you can't get home any earlier than that?!? Poor thing). Commit to taking some time on weekends to be out of the house or office - I go downtown to parks, walk about the city, go to the mall. Yes I do it alone and that's fine because it's just nice for me to be a part of the world and humanity changing over into summertime.
Winter is an inside time, but summer is for being outside and also being with friends. Those in jobs do the same thing all the time and life may go by too fast - so help the year seem cyclical, as it should be, by making extra effort to welcome and embrace summer. Buy fresh fruit, invite friends out, sit on the front porch or balcony or patio or front stairs and stargaze. (My condolences to those in other climes - but hasn't the sky been GLORIOUS lately, CO peeps?!)
Fashion
If you need one, get a new bathing suit. 3+ years? You need a new one (unless you adore yours). Ditto for flip-flops, shorts and tennis shoes. Do I have to mention underwear? I would recommend, if you can, that you look around at the new fashion this season and get a few new pieces. In my opinion, 'peasant' is the new black and yellow is the new gray. Remember to work with your own style (i.e. yellow looks divine on me, but I drown in anything peasant.) You can have coffee at home for a few weeks in order to save money to use on clothes; as a result, you'll feel like you look good when you go out and you won't get so easily stuck in a rut.
Shave/pluck/etc.
Yes, time again to be fastidious about this, girls, so that you're prepared for last minute invitations. When you have to shave your legs you may go with those baggy pants instead of that cute little dress, and likewise you may turn down a swim if you are less than prepared for the exposure, eh? So take those excuses off the board by keeping up on all this hygiene stuff proactively. Plucking/waxing will last longest, shaving shortest.
Feet
On the note of hygiene, everyone take a look at your heels from behind as you wear those flip-flops or cute slides. Cracks? White and thick heels? Dry? You can do something about that! You've seen the pumice stones and files that are out there for feet - just a few minutes in the shower every other day and you'll be smooth and pink in no time. Mmm, sexy, no?
Fake it
Many of us feel a little vulnerable about how we look in the summer with less on. My advice? PRETEND. Pretend you're confident, or even that you're someone else, and soon you WILL be confident. Remember that if something on your body is bugging you? Use that energy to work on it or change it instead of complaining about it. You can do it!
Regarding body issues within a relationship - I tell you now: your guy/girl isn't looking at nor does s/he care about the imperfections that are so clear to you. If she does? Unless you have REALLY let yourself go, this person liked you for who you were for the whole of your relationship - so there was something else wrong before this issue of your imperfection came up and your body is just the excuse and casualty. Don't point out flaws to your partner, point out your good points! Also consider that it's perhaps unfair to make your partner the savior of YOUR self-esteem, so that you rely on his input as your only source of self-image. ( However, if your partner doesn't ever tell you that s/he likes you or you're sexy or you look good, well then... maybe you should move on.)
Little things
Do the little things that make you happy, a wise man once told me. And he kept telling me this for a whole year, until I got the point - little things DO make us happy! Take time to lay in the grass, feel sand between your toes, jump into a pool with a splash! Have fun, be free, take a time out. What do you like to do in the summer? You can go back to the status quo come winter, but don't be conservative this summer - be extravagant, be daring, be bold! Be adventurous and gutsy! Take what you know you want - and then be generous in sharing!
You start doing these things and I can GUARANTEE YOU that you will have a great and memorable summer. What are you waiting for? Go on, start now!