If you are diving into this article, your summer program or camp is probably in full swing. Let’s be honest though, along with the fun and flexibility of summer comes stressful situations and strong emotions. Taking time for yourself – a “Me Moment” – is an important strategy to appreciate periods of calm and regulate challenging feelings when they arise. This is even more critical if you are an educator or caregiver supporting others on a regular basis.
To bring this idea to life, I asked a few educator friends to fill in the blanks for the following sentence: “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to _______.”
Here are their answers. I hope you’ll share yours too by sending me a Tweet or tagging me on IG with the hashtag #BOOSTblog. For more ideas, download our new Kohl’s Healthy at Home Self-Care Summer Toolkit.
1 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to watch the sunset every Friday with my favorite vanilla bean smoothie.” – Jessica Barajas, San Diego, California, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego
2 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to take a walk on the beach with my dog.” – Paula Fitzell, Honolulu, Hawaii, After-School All-Stars Hawaii
3 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to enjoy a fruitful read.” – Jessica Ochoa, Santee, California, Santee School District, Out-of-School Time Programs
4 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to commit to do a 30-minute workout routine each morning before I begin my day.” – Haley Hake, Hanoverton, Ohio, Aultman Health Foundation
5 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to exercise and meditate at least 4 days a
6 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to start skateboarding again.” – Tiff Cunin, Silver Spring, Maryland, National Recreation and Park Association
7 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to visit the students at our summer school sites to remember why we do the work we do.” – Dr. Marie Pinto, Visalia, California, ProYouth
8 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to go on a 30-minute jog at the end of each day.” – Chris Fajardo, Los Angeles, California, Coaching Corps
9 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to take a walk at the park every day and feel the sun energizing me.” – Caroline Veloso Oliveira, Cary, North Carolina, North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals
10 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to take my lunch break during the day and eat outside as often as possible!” – Andres De La Peza, Los Angeles, California, Woodcraft Rangers
11 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to find one new walk in the trees for my dog and I to enjoy every weekend. Spending time in nature grounds me and helps me focus for the week ahead.” – Jessica Hay, Bellingham, Washington, National Girls Collaborative Project
12 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to take time to watch the birds, flowers and
13 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to reach out and initiate spending more time with friends. I’ve had enough ME time during quarantine!” – Laura Fenn, Durham, North Carolina, The Walking Classroom
14 – “To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to enjoy seasonal summer fruit (blueberries and cherries anyone?) and to contribute nature observations to iNaturalist.” -Rachael Van Schoik, San Francisco, California, Science Action Club
15 – To feel and do my best this summer, my ‘Me Moment’ activity will be to enjoy the outdoors by hiking and swimming at the beautiful beaches” – Trisha Okawa, Aiea, Hawaii, ʻOhana Engagement
For breakfast, I had leftover pizza.
Author: @danielh