What Should I Do This Summer?
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Summer is here. Let’s make the most of it!
But how? The days are already fleeing away.
Capture them! Let powerful verbs guide your summer days, helping you taste all the sweetness.
Consider our top 10 list of awesome verbs for summer.
1. Laze: spend time intentionally doing nothing
You probably rarely do nothing. Routinely, you do three or more things simultaneously. It feels almost wrong to intentionally do nothing, but you really should this summer. Bask in the vastness of time.
If you’re having trouble getting your lazy groove going, slowly read through these synonyms and let them soak into your body, mind, and being: lounge, dawdle, idle, hang out, kick back, dillydally, loaf, veg out, doze.
2. Browse: forage for something tasty
Browsing is wandering with delight, discovering what you may. Think of sheep munching new grass and dandelions instead of old hay. Think of children collecting shells by the seashore. Wander and discover.
Browse for food at a farmer’s market, or for books at a local shop. Browse for a binge-worthy series or for fascinating topics of conversation. You might find a finger food to nibble or a thousand-page epic to devour.
3. Regale: amuse and entertain others
You can entertain others with jokes, stories, memories, and dreams. Try to make them smile and laugh. Invite them to tell their stories to you. Reawaken the love of making conversation – keeping the topic aloft like a volleyball.
4. Aspire: hope for, wish for, and plan something
When you aspire to do something, you set your sights a little higher than they have been and raise yourself up to take hold of something. To aspire is basically to inspireyourself – filling you with spirit and hope.
What would you like to do this week? This month? This summer? Set your sights, and let hope fill you and move you.
5. Saunter: walk slowly and appreciatively
Henry David Thoreau once said, “It is a great art to saunter.” Yes, the exercise is good for the body, and the gentle reflection is good for the soul.
Best of all, no two people saunter alike. Some stroll, others amble or ramble, and a few even perambulate. You can hike or sashay or promenade. However you do it, let your strides connect you to this spinning rock where we live. Step by step, you add your own spin to our world.
6. Marvel: gaze with rapt attention and emotion
Find something beautiful, and then stop to admire it. Let the shape of it fill your eyes and the sound of it pour into your ears. Open yourself to wonder.
Notice the birds. They are all around, darting through the skies, singing to one another, building nests, plucking up worms – leading busy lives around yours. Take time to appreciate their colours and their characters.
Beauty exists everywhere. Noticing it is up to us.
7. Revel: take part in carefree fun
Go for a romp. Have a spree. Take a gambol. Gather around you a group of friends and travel from place to place in search of adventure. Sometimes just being with people you enjoy will make a simple meal or shopping trip feel like a fun quest.
Not so long ago, a worldwide pandemic shut down revelry for a year. We should all remember that time of deprivation and take the opportunity now to venture out with those we love.
8. Delve: dig down to discover hidden treasures
Find a big beautiful book and lose yourself in the pages. Or pick up a guitar, or a hobby like model building or quilting or painting – something that rewards focused effort over time.
Delving into a topic of interest helps you slow down time and discover things that you love. Instead of frittering away your time in front of the TV, you spend it wisely, enriching yourself.
9. Barbecue: cook food outdoors over an open flame
There’s something primal and wonderful about grilling on a beautiful summer day. Brats, corn on the cob, shish-kabob, burgers, mushroom caps, cabbage steaks, hot dogs – whatever you’re in the mood for. Grill marks make most food taste better.
And as the smoke wafts up from your grill, you give your neighbourhood the scent of summer. In fact, don’t be surprised if neighbours pull out their grills and send up their own smoke signals.
10. Revivify: bring back to robust life
After months of hustle and grind, take time to relax, recharge, and rebalance your life. Put yourself first for a little bit. Let other demands wait for a time while you do you.
And as you revivify, remember all those other great verbs that can guide you and add life back into your days.
About the Author
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