The Ultimate Bucket List: 33 Fun Things To Do This Summer

We’re more than halfway through the year and it’s the summer solstice!  Even though it gets unfathomably hot outside, summer is my second favorite season.  I love the feeling of the windows down and the wind blowing my hair around, the smell of summer rains and the idea of spending as much time outside soaking up the summer sun.  As an adult, I still have a bucket list of things I want to do over the next few months.  Here are 33 fun things you can do this summer!

• Read a few books
• Go to a drive-in movie
• Watch a new movie in theaters
• Go to the beach
• Go on a bike ride
• Go hiking
• Visit a water park
• Visit an amusement park 
• Go on a road trip
• Go somewhere new
• Finish a series on Netflix
• Eat S’mores
• Watch the sunset
• Have a water balloon fight
• Go swimming
• Go on a picnic
• Attend a concert
• Go bowling
• Go mini-golfing
• Go to a park
• Visit an aquarium
• Take a day trip somewhere fun
• Go camping
• Host a barbecue
• Go fishing
• Create a blanket fort
• Have a movie marathon/lazy day
• Go white water rafting
• Run a 5K
• Try out new recipes
• Write more often
• Visit a zoo
• Try out a new local restaurant

Are you doing anything fun this summer that I didn’t include on this list, or is there something you’re looking forward to doing this summer that you want to share?  Leave it in the comments below and I’ll respond as soon as I can!  Also follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to keep up with my summer plans!

P.S.  I GOT MARRIED!!!!  Look for my post in the upcoming week that discusses wedding crafting, unexpected things that went wrong (and how you don’t even notice them and/or care), and a description of how the big day went.

5 Simple Ways to Unwind After a Stressful Day

Stressful days are not unknown, nor are they uncommon, especially to young adults struggling to get to where they want to be in life.  The past few weeks have been particularly stressful for me due to wedding planning as well as a full workload at my day job.  However, I try not to let my stresses get the best of me.  Here are some of my favorite ways to unwind after a stressful day:

1. Sit out on your porch and get fresh air.  Or, if you don’t have a porch, sit under a tree or on a bench or wherever is most comfortable for you.  There’s something about sitting outside and breathing the fresh air that does wonders for me.  Listening to the birds chirp and the nature around tends to calm all of my worries/stresses.  Ironically, as I write this I’m currently sitting outside on my apartment balcony and I can easily tell you I’m feeling much better than I was earlier today.
2. Read a book.  I know not all of my followers probably read, but sometimes it’s just nice to get away from your life and live someone else’s.  By reading, I escape into another world and focus solely on those characters rather than what’s happening in my life.  I disregard all of my previous stresses of the day and instead attempt to solve the puzzle in the protagonist’s life.
3. Watch TV and drink wine.  If you’re not really into books that much, pick a new show on Netflix or find something on cable to watch, and kick your feet up and relax.  I normally watch one or two hours of TV per day and during that time I try not to work on anything else or even think about anything that’s left on my to-do list.  I normally always pair watching TV with a glass of wine because what’s the harm in that?  Wine helps me to relax, and it makes me tired so I fall asleep easier, which a better night’s sleep would alleviate the stress of being tired the next day.
4. Take a nap.  There is very little that I feel that sleeping doesn’t cure.  Today, for instance, I was so exhausted after my stressful work day that I didn’t feel like exercising or watching TV or cleaning or even writing a blog.  So I took a short 15 minute nap after I got home and I woke up more energized and less stressed.  I was able to finish my workout and now I’m sitting here typing this list up.
5. Exercise.  Last but not least, I love to exercise to alleviate stress.  I know this isn’t for everyone, but exercise does amazing things for my stress levels.  I workout in the evenings for the sole purpose of having the ability to let out all of my frustrations and stresses during my workout.  Using my frustrations and stresses also fuels me and helps me to work out harder and put more oomph into things.  And afterwards I feel more relaxed and calm and am ready to settle in for the rest of the evening.

 

So, after reading this list, are there any things that you do that are the same/that are different than what I do to relax after a long day?  I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts.  Share in the comments below to discuss!