For eight years, I have diligently scheduled the entire school year into my calendar and planned accordingly right down to the last week in June – then I switch to my summer schedule.

So, on the Friday before last, you can imagine my surprise when my 13 year old told me that high school was ending on Monday… two weeks earlier than the elementary schools.

Say what?! How did I miss that?

Summer scheduling is a dance of its own (even when you get it right). With high expectations of fun, family visits, individual needs and work responsibilities – it can be a lot to navigate.

It wasn’t that long ago scheduling for me was filled with anxiety and felt like a constant wrestling match.

A mishap like this would have wreaked havoc on my nervous system but it didn’t. It’s been an intense couple of weeks for sure and I’ve spent some time stepping outside and breathing but something is different which prompted me to really think about what has changed.

So, here are the 5 key strategies that are making it possible to navigate this dance of life, family and work with a little more ease and grace.

1. TRUST & ACCEPTANCE. After years of stressing over schedules and details, I now know that the more you trust, the faster you accept the bumps in the road and move out of the resistance – the sooner things work out. (And often for the better.)
2. USE A NAVIGATION SYSTEM. Having a simple, consistent yet flexible navigation system and tools in place makes it much easier to quickly evaluate priorities and shift schedules.(I use the DDA Method)
3. CREATE FIERCELY LOVING BOUNDARIES. Knowing your non-negotiable boundaries and honouring them makes it that much easier to make decisions that keep you from compromising the most important things.    
4. ASK FOR HELP.  Identifying opportunities to work together and learning to ask for and receive help.
5. CHOOSE EXPANSION. Understanding that your experience is your choice. As hard as the bumps may be, you still get to choose how you feel about them. You can drop into fear and your stories, or choose to rise up, know there’s a solution and expand.

I know the above strategies are not necessarily easy – we all know how hard it can be to set boundaries or ask for help. But the payoff is a much lighter experience and a whole lot more energy.

YOUR SUMMER BUCKET LIST 
Easily lost in the mix of summer scheduling can be taking a moment to get really clear on what you want to ensure that you wrap this season feeling fulfilled and nourished.

Which is why this time every year, I invite you to set the “should’s” aside for a few minutes and give yourself permission to explore and write your SUMMER BUCKET LIST. 

On this simple (newly designed) template there’s space to write your SUMMER THEME (adventure, rejuvenate, nourish, family, creative). HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL (joyful, free, abundant, grounded, creative) and then a list to fill in WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

Download the EDITABLE PDF TEMPLATE and type in the template or print it and hand write your list. * VERY IMPORTANT* Make sure you download the template to your desktop and re-open it to type in the fields, otherwise, your content won’t save.

Print a copy for each member of your family so you can tune into the experiences your loved one’s crave and/or create your Family Summer Bucket List. Hang it on your fridge as a daily reminder of how you want to feel and have fun checking off your list.

This is one of those wildly simple things you can do to ensure you create more of what you want in your world.

Here’s to a fun, light and nourishing summer!  

And for my fellow Canadians… Happy 150th Birthday weekend! I’ll be shedding some tears of gratitude, like I do every year, when those darn bagpipes march on by!