The Summer Pause Nobody Knows About (But You’re Invited)

Today's newsletter gives you permission to ditch your to-do list and just chill for a hot second.

My to-do list yesterday felt like the food table at a family reunion.

You know what I’m talking about.

And since neither of us will admit what we really want to say about that table, I’ll be nice and paint the picture of a large picnic table holding every “dish” under the sun. Some you trust, others you’d only take if the Tupperware owner (whose name is almost always Aunt Sheila or Auntie Jan) were actually in front of you in line and plopped a big scoop of their world-famous potato salad on your plate. (The one made with eggs, that’s been sitting in the sun for hours.)

My list felt a lot like that table… lots of potato salad in the form of totally random housekeeping items that had piled up and calls I’d been avoiding. But Monday, I told myself enough was enough - I had to eat the frog. 🐸

Or in this case, the spoiled potato salad.🥔🥗

So I made a plan.

(Actually, sort of a reverse frog plan.)

First, I’d take care of the time-sensitive tasks, such as a pitch for a fall trip to Spain, emails, and a story outline in the morning.

Then, after lunch, I'd deal with the calls 🐸 I’d been putting off. To make them tolerable and get my steps in, I’d tackle them on a walk.

With my plan in place, I put on my weighted vest and was out the door, following the habit stacking and make-your-calls-on-the-go advice from one of my favorite podcasters, Lauryn Evarts Bosstick of The Skinny Confidential.

But before I headed out…

I got my sun protection game on with COOLA 50 SPF sunblock (vegan, gluten-free, and paraben-free). I also went to my hat collection, which is full of golf🧢hats, but also includes some cool wide-brimmed hats from Wallaroo Hat Company. (An awesome hat company I discovered at the PGA Show a few years ago.)

Question:

Did you know that wide-brimmed hats 👒 are better for you

than your favorite 🧢?

It’s true! Think about it… baseball caps cover your head, yes, and also shield your face. However, they leave your ears and neck exposed. No coverage, no love.

Makes sense, right?

That’s why I love Wallaroo Hats - they offer ultimate protection, with 30 & 50 UPF varieties, plus their wide brims cover more than the top of your head.

AND… they’re great on the go. Some of them fold like a taco (I love saying that), so I can take them with me when I fly without destroying them in the overhead bin.

Plus, they’re so cute. The Catalina Cowboy is my favorite. As you can see below, my sisters and niece also thought they were cute when they took over my Wallaroos for our family golf outing last week.

At any rate. Getting back to my walk.

So, I took my midday walk, apparently forgetting it was summer.

(Who wears a weighted vest on a sunny July afternoon? 🙋🏼‍♀️)

It was hot.

Freaking hot.

And I swear the sun had special orders to beat down directly on me. Hard.

By the time I got home, I was dehydrated, exhausted, and drenched.

A real sight to behold.

Instead of going back to my computer, I decided to pour myself a large glass of water, find a cool & shady spot on our deck, and read a magazine.

It was glorious.

And, wouldn’t you know, that summer stop (that I declared that day) is exactly What I’d Rather Be Talking About this week:

Write this down:

I’m taking a Summer Stop.

What’s a Summer Stop?

It’s not the intential stops we all talk about - summer hours on Fridays, four day weekends, rounds of golf, vacations, family reuinions with potato salad…

Nope. A Summer Stop is different.

It’s the old school version of stopping what you’re doing to appreciate the fact that it’s summer.

And in summer, there’s time to be a little lazy.

Find some shade.

Then read, nap, or simply chill.

I don’t care what you do.

Just.

STOP.

And do it often.

After all, it’s summer.

Maybe your Summer Stop is when you allow yourself to scroll and get lost online. If that’s the case, I’ve got links for you.

But really, it doesn’t matter what you do for your Summer Stop.

As long as it’s close to nothing.

Comment below if you wish magazines would make a comeback. Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash

A list of all the things that caught my attention this week that I felt the need to share. *Please note that some of the links are affiliated with my Amazon account, allowing me to earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them. Same price, just a little💜 thrown my way. Which is greatly appreciated.😊

Sneak peek at some of the things I’ll tell you about:

✈️ travel tips for summer… and fall. Because it’s never too early to plan. Plus, some long-haul travel advice you need to hear if you’re headed on an adventure.

🏡 Home design tips. Plus stuff for your home you never knew you needed.

🥗Healthy eats from tofu mousse to summer salads. (And I’m not talking potato.)

🆕 Two new features - life hacks and styling tricks. (Like why European couples are better in bed than US couples. Hold the phone. Are things getting juicy in this newsletter?)

🖊️ Fun office supplies and a calendar that’s 20 times bigger than your head.

🤓 Stick around the very end to see the CRAZY thing I started…

• Vacation-inspired summer wardrobe for summer travel… on sale at Nordstrom.

• It might be July, but it’s never too early to plan for fall travel. Five charming getaways to consider, the best fall trips according to CNN Travel, and why Europe is a great spot to visit in October.

• Speaking of Europe in the fall, I visited Mallorca last September, and you can read all about it in Golf Destinations Magazine.

• You can also read about my February trip to Valencia, which I introduced in this newsletter about finding your “soul place,” and also shared some details here.

• If you’re traveling overseas, you’ll want to watch this long-haul flight plan video.

• I’m lucky to have a designer/artist sister on speed dial for design questions. In case you don’t, here’s how to pick a paint color like a pro.

• Looking for a home org solution? Check out MUSTARD and try to stop thinking about the colorful options for storage.

• Apparently, giant wall calendars like this one are all the rage for keeping busy households on track. I’m not sold - it takes up a lot of real estate on your walls, and what about the joker who decides to erase something or accidentally brushes up against it? Ooff. No thanks.

• Looking for comfortable outdoor chairs? IKEA’s got your back.

• Need is a strong word to describe this little masterpiece. But I sure want it. However, these incredible pens are technically something a writer needs, as are these notebooks.

• I also bought this keyboard cleaner on Amazon, and the jury’s still out for my computer, but it does work well in the crevices of my car.

• Usually, I’m not a pudding or mousse gal. However, this tofu mousse from Cooking for Peanuts looks healthy and quite divine.

• Omg this salad and this dressing and this simple high protein salad that’s easily adaptable with your own ingredients. Plus, these vegan summer rolls are great for a meal on a hot day, and can be thrown in a carry-on if you don’t feel like spending $30 for a wilted salad airport food.

• Have you ever had Spanish fried eggs? No? Well then, please try this recipe from Spanish chef José Andrés. Add heirloom tomatoes for pure joy.

• You’ll thank me for sharing these life hacks that make everything so much easier.

• Random - “I would never” advice from health professionals that could keep you and your kids safer this summer.