Summer has a way of changing our rhythms.
The schedule gets a little looser. The days get longer. The normal routines that keep us grounded can get harder to maintain. Between travel, kids being home, late evenings, and all the fun moments that come with this season, life can feel both beautiful and a little chaotic.
But one thing I’ve learned is that I don’t need a perfect routine to feel grounded.
I need a few intentional rhythms that remind me what matters.
This summer, I’ve been paying attention to the small things that help me stay healthy, present, and connected — not because I’m trying to create a perfectly disciplined life, but because I want to fully enjoy the life God has given me.
Here are a few snapshots of the routines, habits, and reminders helping me care for my body, mind, and soul this summer.
Starting My Day Before the World Gets Loud
One of my favorite parts of summer is the slower mornings.
Before the emails, the messages, the responsibilities, and the noise of the day begin, I want my first moments to be with the Lord. Sometimes that looks like a few minutes for reading or maybe a sunrise walk on the beach if we’re traveling.
I’ve been reminded again and again that what we fill ourselves with first matters.
A few quiet minutes with my Bible, prayer, a cup of coffee, and gratitude can change the entire direction of my day.
It doesn’t always happen perfectly. Some mornings are rushed. Some mornings involve kids, training client schedule shifts, and interruptions. But I’m learning that faithfulness isn’t about perfection, it’s about direction and a heart pointed towards Him. One morning per week when I have an early sunrise training session with a group of clients that I love
and I’ve been trying to use some of the extra time I have in the morning to work on the book project. I officially officially finished the manuscript last week (yay!).
Moving My Body Because I’m Grateful for It
For many years, fitness was about changing my body.
Now, I see movement differently.
I train because I’m grateful for the body God has given me. I want to be strong enough to keep up with my kids, serve others, enjoy adventures, and live fully in every season He gives me.
This summer, that has looked like continuing my normal strength training when I’m able, while also finding creative ways to move when life doesn’t look quite like my usual routine. We’ve been snorkeling and swimming, hiking to waterfalls, walking on the beach, playing tennis, and doing lots of wakeboarding—and so much more. I even took a golf lesson (I’m terrible), but I loved being outside and trying something new. I’m always looking for ways to make movement a natural part of life, especially when I can enjoy it outdoors with the people I love.
Health isn’t built only in the seasons when everything feels controlled. It’s built in the small choices we return to over and over.
Eating to Feel Good, Not to Be Perfect
Summer is full of amazing food and memories around the table.
And I don’t want to miss those moments because I’m worried about being “perfect.”
Over many years of coaching women and walking through this myself, I’ve learned that healthy eating isn’t about creating a life where we never enjoy a dessert, a vacation meal, or a special dinner.
It’s about learning how to nourish ourselves in a way that gives us energy for the life we’re living.
Protein. Whole foods. Meals that make me feel good. Plenty of water.
And also enjoying the foods that are part of celebrating with the people we love.
I’ve been enjoying lots of lunches by the pool with friends playing mahjong, and one of the highlights this summer was finding a great chef who cooked up all the fresh catch from our boys’ spearfishing adventures on a trip to Puerto Rico. (We planned the trip before the song, but we were indeed immediately enchanted. And yes, the whole plane really did clap when we landed, which was hilarious).
There is freedom in learning that health and joy can exist together.
Finding Beauty in the Ordinary
Fun trips and lots of travel has been great, but one of my favorite things about summer is how it slows us down enough to notice the little things.
A beautiful sunset.
A walk outside.
A conversation that lasts longer than expected.
Having a house full of kids.
A quiet morning.
Fresh air.
A game with friends.
The happiest people I know are often the ones who have learned how to notice and appreciate the small gifts in front of them.
Gratitude changes the way we see our lives. It helps us recognize that so many of the things we once prayed for are the very things we are living today.
Giving Myself Grace When the Rhythm Changes
One of the biggest lessons I’m learning is that routines are meant to support our lives, not control them.
Travel changes things.
Kids change things.
Different seasons change things.
Sometimes I get my workouts in. Sometimes I take a long walk instead. Sometimes I eat my normal meals. Sometimes I enjoy something completely different.
The goal is not to hold onto a routine so tightly that we miss the moments happening around us.
The goal is to create rhythms that bring us back.
Back to health.
Back to gratitude.
Back to what matters.
This summer, I’m reminding myself that a healthy life isn’t built by doing everything perfectly.
It’s built by the small, faithful choices we make again and again.
Choosing to care for our bodies.
Choosing to nourish our souls.
Choosing to be present with the people God has placed in our lives.
The beautiful thing about rhythms is that we can always return to them.
