WARMER WEATHER + LONGER DAYLIGHT + MORE TIME FOR YOURSELF = 4 MUST DO’S FOR YOU!

Every year when summer comes around, I find I have a long list of things I want to do for myself with the couple months of warmer weather and longer days. These tend to be things I’ve been putting off, unable to find the time for, or simply unable to do during the winter. But as the end of summer nears (already almost August?! Yikes!), I still have a few more things I want to do for myself! I’m tackling these 4 selfish things before the summer’s over, and I challenge you to do the same (or maybe inspire you to attempt to knock some things off your own list).

1. Explore your own city

The one thing we don’t do enough! The summer months are the perfect time to venture out to the places you’ve always wanted to but never took the time. I always say that this city (or province) has tons of fun things to do but you have to look for them a little harder than you would in the bigger cities. Venture outside of your normal go-to spots and try something new.

my suggestions:

• Discover a new patio or restaurant spot
  • Pine Ridge Hollow -> amazing food, but the surrounding area and store is was make it a must-go-to. Brunch, please!
  • Hermano’s Restaurant & Wine Bar -> love the patio, and the BEST happy hour specials
• Festivals, Festivals, Festivals!
  • Kenora Harbourfest -> where you’ll find me this upcoming long weekend! 3 nights of live music, food trucks, Lululemon pop-up shop & yoga, plus the quaint lake town of Kenora has the most fun shops & restaurants!
• Markets
  • St. Norbert Farmers Market the best spot to spend a Saturday morning when you’re in the city, or a Wednesday afternoon. Grab a coffee or pressed juice from one of the on-site vendors and pick up fresh veggies, flowers, or cool handmade soaps, jewelry, or whatever else
  • Alleyways Market Night markets right in the district this summer! The local, more current and trendy vendors differentiate this from your usual market, but I am obsessed and will definitely be hitting it up again

2. Take care of your hair or skin

Throughout the winter, I always feel less confident with my appearance than I do in the summer. My skin is pale, my hair gets dry from the cold, and I feel like I need to wear more makeup and constantly apply heat to my hair to fix that. But in the summer, I love to go makeup free and rock the natural hair! Use this time when you’re feeling a little extra happy with your appearance to give your skin and hair a rest or try out a new mask or product routine.

my suggestions:

• Go heat free for a week -> Embrace the mane, au natural and skip the blowdryer or curling iron! Check out my go-to hair products for beachy waves without applying heat here
• Challenge yourself to go makeup free -> whether for a day, a few days, or a week, let your skin breathe and get some of that natural vitamin D (with SPF of course)!
• Try out a skin routine & stick with it -> Find a routine to suit your skin needs, and try it out for one week straight. Whether it’s as simple as a 3-step cycle: cleanse, serum, moisturize, or a mask for 20 minutes every other day, stick it out for one week and see the difference it makes!

3. Re-organize or De-clutter

Whether it’s your closet, your bedroom, or your bathroom, take an afternoon or evening to go through the stuff you don’t use and make use of the stuff you do by making it more accessible and organized. My mind always feels so much clearer when my space is clean!

my suggestions:

• Clean out your bathroom shelves or makeup desk -> Most face/body products are only good for 12-18 months from the open date (check the package), and are probably doing nothing for you if used past their prime. Chuck ’em! And get rid of the stuff you don’t use, cause if you haven’t yet, you probably won’t use the cheap body lotion you got for Christmas 3 years ago.
• Desk space -> for me, it’s so important to have a clean workspace to actually get sh!t done. Go through extra paperwork and organize it so it’s easy to find, remove the pile up of books/papers/etc and ensure your space is clutter-free.

4. Test new recipes

I always build up my Pinterest boards or save Facebook recipe videos to try throughout the year but never get around to actually making. With all the extra hours of sunlight in the evening, plus endless BBQs and get-togethers to host or attend, it’s the perfect time to test them out and decipher which recipes are keepers or not!

my suggestions:

• My signature summer cocktail Frosé
• Buddha Bowl -> super easy & healthy to prep for on-the-go lunches. I’ve been loving these for work meals this summer.
• Spinach & Feta Turkey Burgers -> I’ve made a batch of these and kept them in the freezer to grab out for a quick meal! I don’t eat hamburgers, so having these on hand keeps me well prepared for BBQs and lake trips! OR, cut it up and throw it in a salad for lunch.

What are you doing for yourself this summer? Share some of the things you’ve knocked (or plan to knock) off your list in the comments!

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Romper, clutch, and heels all found at Winners!

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