This Summer, I'm not optimizing it

Why I'm not trying to optimize the best season of the year

Summer is my favorite season and I look forward to this feeling all year long. I love the smell of it wet grass, someone mowing a lawn down the street, sunscreen on warm skin. I love the sounds, people laughing outside, the splash of someone jumping in a pool, not rushing back to anything. I love long lunches and day trips and sunshine.

Every year I get to summer and I have this instinct to try and fit in everything possible because I love it so much and there is so much I want to do. Plan it, fill it, optimize it. Cram in trips and make every moment of a trip worth it and naturally, optimizing is what I do so it really takes a conscious effort for me to slow down.

So this year I’m trying something different, I’m not optimizing summer I just fully want to embrace the season…

A little list of what that looks like for me

• Less phone. Especially by the pool, on the beach, on vacation. I’ll catch myself scrolling when the ocean is RIGHT THERE!! and it’s the most absurd thing, I want to be present where I am.

• Workouts outside. Trading some of my gym and class time for walks, hikes, anything that lets me be in actual sunlight and bonus if a friend comes.

• More walks with friends. Less “let’s get dinner,” more “let’s go walk.”

• Farmers markets on the weekend. Going for a matcha, picking up flowers, and fruit, then making myself lunch with what I bought when I get home.

• Meals outside. At home, at restaurants... if it can be outside, it will be.

• Coastal California day trips. I want to live my best Nancy Meyers life. Little drives north or south, a lunch by the water, home by dinner.

This year our Summer campaign is made for wherever summer takes you and the reason I love it is because it’s not about wearing your products in your bathroom, it’s about after you have them on… where is summer actually taking you? Inviting you to enjoy the season and go out and live it.

If you’re someone who, like me, has a tendency to turn every season into a project, Let’s try just one thing on your list, not the whole list and not the optimized version trying to cram in a thousand things this season. Just try one thing that returns you to the feeling of the season.

For me this week, it’s a walk on Sunday morning with a matcha and putting my phone in my purse instead of holding it in my hand. It’s small but intentional and I’ll see how it goes.

If you have a summer ritual that makes the season feel like a bit slower, tell me. I’m collecting them (and still taking swimsuit recommendations.)