As a kid I loved summer. One lazy day after another for what seemed like an eternity.

Sunshine and splashing in the sprinkler, slurping snow cones and sleeping in. Reading on the porch swing. Playing in the sprinkler for hours trying to chase away the summer heat.

Those were fun relaxing days.

But as an adult, I don’t slow down to enjoy summer that much. Those once lackadaisical days become rushed vacations and busyness.

Slowing down isn’t easy in our fast-paced technology world. But we should intentionally slow down to recapture those relaxed days of summer.

But how?

Take A Deep Breath.

Breathe in slowly for six seconds and out for six seconds. Try it right now. Feel the calm fill your body. Place sticky notes around to remind yourself. Before you know it, you’ll have the habit of stopping yourself to refresh regularly.

Change Your Routine.

Routine and repetition can steal joy. We miss what’s right in our face. Doing something different refocuses us. Why not have breakfast outside on the patio? Look out the bedroom window in a new direction. Focus on what’s changed since the last time you looked.

Or take a different route home from work? Enjoy the new sites.

Or visit a Farmer’s Market and taste something new that you’ve never tried before.

Unplug and Reconnect.

Silence the phone, close the laptop, skip the Netflix binges. Difficult to do, but a necessary component to recapture those childhood feelings of summer. Look around you instead. See the people and things around you. Talk to the neighbor, wave at the jogger. Really connect.

Here are some other Summer-Slow Down ideas to try:

Blow Bubbles for a baby or give a jar of bubbles to a small child. Children help us find the joy of the moment. I think you’ll smile and so will the child.

Grab a snow cone or popsicle and take a leisurely walk in a nature park. Nature is a never-ending love letter from our Creator. Walk slowly and take note of the amazing beauty around you.

Wave down the ice cream truck and treat yourself.  Savor the memories it brings back.

Why not make a list yourself? Enjoy summer like we did in our youth.