here’s to a great summer.

Here are three ways I’m embracing our summer so far:

1. These thoughtful words have given me permission to feel peace and joy, rather than guilt for what I didn’t do last school year (this applies to you too, even if you don’t homeschool!).

When the school year comes to a close it’s important to let go and move on to the business of truly enjoying summer. Don’t allow yourself to dwell on the areas where you or your children fell short, which could turn into a swarm of negative and worrisome thoughts.

While honest reflection is helpful, too much in the wrong direction becomes never ending and will rob us from the joy of a job well done. You showed up each day, you put thought and effort into your parenting and teaching, you consider each child and what they need, you are nurturing their minds, hearts, and spirits for hours a day. This is the truth: in spite of all the improvements you could make, you still did a great job.

If we focus continually on where we are falling short it will become harder and harder to see the good.

For me . . . that means that no matter what our year looked like or what we may not have accomplished; In faith, I will choose to celebrate it, to be thankful for it, and to be finished with it.

– Toni Weber, Wild + Free

2. I loved reading this free Simpler Summer Guide, by Melissa Camera Wilkins, and saved it to my desktop so I can review it in a month. Melissa’s wisdom caused me to immediately change some aspects of our plans, to deliberately decide not to work to provide endless entertainment for my kids at the expense of my own peace.

Isn’t it crazy how much pressure we put on ourselves!? And how exhausted that makes us?

3. I’m vacationing from social media. It somehow always adds to the daily angst that I’m not doing enough or being enough or looking great enough. If Pinterest counts as social media, then I’m taking a break from that too, and design blogs. Our house is fine, just the way it is.

Now I want to relax and enjoy it and enjoy the people in it.

What are you doing to embrace summer?