Unlike most summer “tip” lists that share their pointers to “slather on the sunscreen” or “drink lots of water,” I’m not here to bore you into unconsciousness.

Sure, I hope you remember to stay hydrated & use sun protection.

But I’m more concerned that you get out there to live your life!

In your own way.

And on your own terms. 

If you need some encouragement, here are 5 simple but critical steps to enjoy the hell out of your summer.

1. Make peace with your body. 

With heat and humidity in tow, summer skips into town packing a mighty punch to our already struggling body image.

But here’s the deal – this vessel you’re in is the only one you have & the only one you’re ever GOING to have.  It’s here as long as you are & there’s only one way to part ways with it.

So you can punish it, hate it, hide it & tuck it away where no one will ever see it.

Or you can choose to LIVE, dammit!

Assuming that you chose the latter, the only option you have – albeit a difficult one at times – is to make peace with its imperfections.

The scars, the stretch marks, the cellulite, the belly pooch, the thighs that jiggle, or the butt that’s never been quite firm enough.

The pieces of you that tell the story of the life your body has lived. The lives that it has touched & the places that it’s been.

Instead of struggling to mimic heavily photoshopped expectations, focus on the fact that its trillions of cells can coordinate well enough to let you swim, walk, run, kayak & hike to mountaintops.

That they let you taste the salt from the sea & the sweetness of the season’s bountiful berries.

That those cells form pathways that let you detect the very colors that make a sunset so extraordinary.

Because it isn’t just about looking cute in a bikini – but living as much life as you can in the time that you have.

2. Don’t obsess over every bite. 

There is nothing like sunshine & the opportunity for debauchery to send our Puritanical roots into overdrive.

You’re going to attend a BBQ, stop for an ice cream with some friends, or grab a burger after a long hike. And if you are trying to maintain healthy habits, it’s easy (and at times important) to focus on calories.

And certainly, calories matter.

But so does living your life in a way that engages you with the world, people & flavors around you – and those things are essential to the experience of being alive.

Remember that you don’t live a better life because you suffer & obsess. You live a better life by balancing the diversity of things that make you happy.

So give yourself permission to focus on the foods that make you feel good, to enjoy the things that you love & to say no to the things that you don’t love – all without belittling yourself in the process.

3. Focus on building memories, not finding perfection.

We’re always waiting for the stars to align & the leprechauns to dance at the end of a rainbow before we can finally enjoy our lives.

Until then, the house is too messy, your dishes don’t match, you have a million things to do, you can’t find the time, you’re tired, you’re short on money, or your belly is too jiggly.

The problem is that perfect never happens.

And the longer you wait for it to signal some mythical start to your life, the longer you put off living the life that you have right now.

So who gives a damn if your living room isn’t a coordinated shot straight out of House Beautiful? Have friends over to enjoy that BBQ anyway.

So what if you can’t afford to travel to exotic locales – hike some new trails nearby & see an amazing part of your own community that you never knew existed.

Who cares if your body has some extra lumps & bumps – throw on that suit & enjoy the beach.

You don’t get to push pause while in pursuit of perfection & you won’t be granted any do-overs because you spent too much time caring about things you wish you hadn’t.

The only moments you have to build the memories you’ll keep for a lifetime are the ones you have right now.

So go out & live them.

4. Get out of your comfort zone.

Most of us love our comfy corners of the universe.

The problem is, we get bored.

Worse yet, we KNOW that we’re bored, but we make excuses about why we stay there anyway.

It’s too expensive, you don’t have the time, it’s too far to travel, or no one wants to join you – and that’s only the beginning of your long list of “reasons.”

This summer, you can sit back & do the same old things you always do…orrrrr…you can promise yourself that you will try something you’ve never done.

Maybe it’s trying a new mountain, a new trail, a new fishing spot, a new travel destination, or a new activity.

Luckily the world around us offers us no shortage of fabulous ways to explore it – fishing, hiking, running, ziplines, rock-climbing, camping, surfing, or SUP.

Whatever your heart desires, give it your best shot – even if it scares you a little.

Especially if it scares you a little.

Getting out of our comfort zones reminds us that there is a giant world of new places, people & experiences we never knew existed. And there is no better way to feel re-energized than in realizing how vast & spectacular the world really is.

5. Most importantly – get outdoors and LIVE! 

Whatever you choose to do this summer, make sure a heap of that fun is outdoors.

Soak up the Vitamin D, swim the ponds, surf the seas, explore the trails, hike to the mountaintops & admire the sunsets.

Just get out & LIVE!

You’ll be reminded what a beautiful world we share – and what a beautiful life you have to enjoy it.