Getting My Mindset Right for Making Summer Memories

0

Summer is quickly approaching and with that comes more travel, more free time, more trips to the pool and the beach. In the past I have let myself become hyper focused on how I 1) look in shorts or a bathing suit and/or 2) how I can potentially avoid those moments. I have let that mindset steal way too many new memories from me and I am ready to change that. I am determined to get my mindset right for making summer memories this year.

Whenever I find myself feeling overwhelmed by something, I try to separate facts from feelings. Do you ever do that? It has been massively helpful for me. And it works perfectly in this situation!

Feeling: I feel insecure.

Feeling: I feel like I don’t measure up or am not where I want to be physically. 

Feeling: I feel like other people are judging me.

Fact: my kids do not care how I look in a swimsuit.

Fact: my kids want me to swim and play with them at the beach. 

Fact: I want to have family pictures … with me IN THEM. 

Fact: I don’t judge strangers and how they look, so chances are others don’t do that to me.

Fact: I don’t want my kids to play small because of how they look. So I need to model that for them. 

For some of us, this mindset shift can be really tricky. How you were raised, the culture you grew up in, pressures of society, self esteem, etc… there are so many dynamics that can come into play. The really cool thing? We can change how we think. We can literally re-wire our brains. 

It doesn’t matter how much I have failed at this in the past. It doesn’t matter how bad my self-esteem has been in the past. It surely doesn’t matter what my body looks like right now. I can choose to live my life. I can choose to be present. I can choose to say yes to participating in the fun memories. I can choose to say yes to being in the pictures. I can choose to say yes to putting on the swimsuit and jumping in the pool. I can choose to truly live my life and stop playing small. 

So, here’s to getting my mindset right for making summer memories this year. I hope it’s one that I never forget!