Tomorrow's heat index is supposed to be in the triple digits. Yep, it's July, so this type of weather is nothing new to the Philadelphia area. Yet, all of this heat and humidity is getting to me, and I don't want a mid-summer meltdown.
We started off the summer with a bang and I feel like we've been moving non-stop ever since. It has been just as hectic as the school year, and it's finally catching up with everyone. Not to mention that we're long overdue for a trip to the beach. I would give anything for 1 day on Captiva Island, Florida right now!
So, here are 3 simple ways I'm trying to avoid a Mid-Summer Meltdown:
1) Chill at the Ice Rink - One of my favorite places to stay cool is the ice skating rink. I'm not shy to admit that I'm not a fan of ice skating, however, I am a huge fan of being a spectator at the ice rink. I like to think of our local rink as my little hidden gem. Whenever we pop in, we can always find figure skaters or hockey players on the ice. We don't go there often enough for it to be mundane, so the kids always seem to be fascinated by what they see, and very well behaved too. It's completely free to watch the skaters practice. The best part is that even when it's 100+ degrees outside, it's always sweatshirt weather near the ice.
2) Exercising - Maybe the thought of extremely hot workouts are appealing to some people, but not me. I definitely do my best exercise when I'm in an air-conditioned gym with a group of people that keep me motivated to keep pushing forward. I'm with my kids all day, so my time at the gym is exactly that, my time. It's usually the only guaranteed hour of the day that I get for me and I've definitely noticed that I usually feel better, overall, on the days that I exercise. According to MayoClinic.com, exercise: helps the body release feel-good brain chemicals, takes your mind off worries, improves your mood and boosts your energy. Yes, yes, yes, and yes! All of that sounds good to me.
3) Keeping my expectations low. One day, I heard that the key to happiness was having low expectations. Now, I don't want this to be misinterpreted, because I have very, very high expectations for certain aspects of my life. But, am I ever going to be 100% caught up with laundry? Will the floors always be gleaming? Will my kids gain a sense of urgency when it's time to go out somewhere? Will there ever be a day I don't have to pick up crumbs off the floor? I really don't know, and that's okay. For now, I'm fine with that.
What do you do to stay cool, calm & collected throughout the summer? Do you have any tips for avoiding a mid-summer meltdown?