July means freedom and a break from routine:

·         A 10-year-old is happy to have lazy summer days off from teachers, books, homework and sitting still in a classroom.

·         A 16-year-old is eager to make her own spending money at a summer job and get a glimpse into the business world she may enter some day.

·         A 22-year-old spends a brief interlude reminiscing about a not so long ago childhood while making preparations for a first job and brand new life hovering on the horizon.

·         A 39-year-old anxiously anticipates random unassigned hours during the week and perhaps an occasional Saturday or Sunday afternoon to herself.

·         A 59-year-old may have the luxury of choice as to when she’ll accomplish the many obligations in her life, but certainly not the benefit of more than the same 24-hour day allotted to the rest of us.

The beauty of living a Simple Abundant Life is that every day offers us freedom and a chance to break from our routine when we choose to tap into our Creativity and make something different happen for ourselves. Don’t automatically reach for the same type of tea, brand of cereal, book/magazine title, etc.

There is a lot of talk right now about folks having to take a “staycation” rather than a “vacation.” Meaning – have fun in your own back yard because it’s too expensive to drive/fly the family to a rest and relaxation destination. I’ve never had the expectation that I’ll be travelling once a year because I didn’t grow up going on vacations every summer. I have had the opportunity to take some wonderful trips and I look forward to doing more. But I also know that there’s much to be seen and to be grateful for in my own little corner of the world. We don’t have to wait for out of town guests to explore a local museum, take a hike on a Nature Path, or plan a picnic to enjoy Shakespeare in the Park. Every weekend offers a street fair, a festival or even a farmer’s market going on somewhere – that’s free entertainment for the whole family!

So let’s pay attention to our attitude and concentrate on how wealthy we are with possibility, rather then waste our wit and wile on outward situations in the world at large. Our internal landscape is wide open and your Spirit is ready for the freedom to run free. See you on the trail!