I Am Thankful For:
Strawberries
My grandson making me laugh
Trying something new
Safe travels
A productive morning
Watching my dog try to catch June beetles
Rain during a hot afternoon
Chicken salad
Fireflies
That first morning cup of tea
Air conditioning
Curling up with a good book at the end of the day
The smell of fresh basil
July just has a happy feeling, doesn’t it? It's the heart of summertime when the days are longer, the sun is warmer, and there’s something about this time of year that makes you want to soak it all in.
If you’re looking for fun ways to do just that, you’re in the right place! I’ve rounded up a mix of easy, feel-good ideas to help you enjoy July. Let’s make this month one to really savor!
Check in with your goals or intentions for 2026. We’re halfway through the year. Now is a good time to reflect on how things are going and reevaluate if needed.
Visit your local ice cream shop for a cooling treat in honor of National Ice Cream Month.
Or, make ice cream floats. Get some vanilla ice cream, top it off with your favorite soda, and enjoy with a straw. Root beer and orange soda are popular choices, but feel free to get creative!
It's also National Watermelon Month. So, enjoy some fresh watermelon!
In fact, July is a big month for fresh fruit, especially blueberries. It's National Blueberry Month. In addition to that, July 9th is National Blueberry Day, July 10th is Pick Blueberries Day, and July 11th is National Blueberry Muffins Day. Load up on those antioxidants and eat some blueberries!
Have a Sunrise Picnic. Wake up before dawn and take your morning coffee and a pastry outside to watch the sunrise and listen to the birds singing their morning songs
Embrace Your Geekness on July 13th (Embrace Your Geekness Day). Settle in for a binge-watch of your favorite movie or cult-classic TV series. Add a new piece to your favorite collectibles. Re-read that book or graphic novel. Dust off your favorite tabletop or card game.
Go to an outdoor concert. Yes, tickets for music festivals and concerts can be extremely expensive, but many communities offer free concerts in the local park.
Spend a day at the zoo or aquarium. Visiting a zoo always makes me feel like a kid again. I get so excited about seeing the big cats and giraffes. When it's too hot or rainy, heading inside to the aquarium can be a fun way to spend a summer afternoon.
July 15th is National Give Something Away Day. Do some decluttering and give away some of your unused things to someone who needs or will use them.
Visit a National Park. Some of the most beautiful sites in the US are found in our national parks. With 63 national parks located in 30 states, there's a good chance there's one within driving distance. There are also over 400 monuments, historical sites, and battlefields overseen by the National Park Service.
Sit around a campfire. There's just something soothing to the soul about sitting under the stars and watching the dancing flames on a summer evening. Bonus points if you roast some marshmallows while you're at it.
Judge a book by its cover. Buy a book, or pick one up at your local library, just because you love the cover.
As you work your way through July, don’t forget that it’s the small, everyday moments that really make the season special. Whether it’s enjoying a simple summertime treat, getting outside to enjoy the sunrise, or retreating inside with a movie to escape the heat, find your own ways to make the most of July.
However you choose to spend it, I hope this month brings you a little more sunshine, a little more laughter, and plenty of moments that make you smile long after July is gone.
I Am Thankful For:
Going somewhere new
Sunlight making the water sparkle
Spending time away with my husband
Sunsets on the lake
Mimosa tree flowers floating on the water
Campfires
The fathers in my life
A perfect weather day
A delicious new chicken salad
Sunshine and a breeze
Crackers and nut butter
I Am Thankful For:
When my daughter stops by
Thunderstorms
Mornings
Making plans for a semi-spontaneous getaway
A trip to the Asian market
Being together
Homemade sausage rolls
Slightly cooler temperatures
Less humidity
Birds singing
Fluffy white clouds in a Carolina blue sky
Geraniums
There’s a strong double standard in how we talk about aging. Men are often allowed to grow older in whatever way they choose, while women face constant judgment. This imbalance influences our careers, our confidence, and how we, as women, see ourselves as we move toward and through this stage of life.
Let's be honest... when Bruce Springsteen appears onstage performing just as he has for the past several decades, you don't see articles about how he's trying too hard or desperately clinging to his lost youth.
When Lenny Kravitz regularly dresses in chest and/or stomach baring tops and skintight leather pants, he doesn't appear in online articles about how he needs to dress more age appropriate.
When male celebrities like George Clooney embrace their gray hair they're considered a "silver fox", not shamed for letting themselves go.
You don’t see headlines questioning their relevance or suggesting they step aside for someone younger. Instead, they’re praised for staying vibrant and confident. But when women do the same thing suddenly that confidence and vitality is reframed as desperation and denial.
This not-so-subtle messaging affects how we perceive other women; but more importantly - how we see ourselves! It can inhibit us from fully embracing the experience of getting older. It can leave us constantly questioning ourselves and how we choose to age.
I'm here to tell you that we don't have to make ourselves smaller or fade into the background. We don't have to age in a certain way to meet anyone else's expectations. We can, and should, experience this stage of life to the fullest. On our own terms, out loud, and without judgment.
I Am Thankful For:
An easy travel day
Relaxing by the lake
Watching the ducks
Sunshine
Dogs swimming
A walk through the woods
Tomato plants
A multitude of blossoms on my strawberry plants
A chaotic meal plan to clean out the freezer
Book Club
Time spent working in my greenhouse
Waking up with the sunrise
I Am Thankful For:
A day pursuing and planning for a new opportunity
Family
Celebrating my son's birthday
Ice cream cake
Prepping for our next trip
The blue moon
Feeling pretty
Waking up just before the alarm
Rainy mornings
A step closer
When one of the dogs does something unexpected and adorable
Little lavender moths fluttering around my front door
Watching the hummingbirds at the feeder
Simple summer dinners
June is that magical feeling month that swings between the breezy days of Spring and the full heat of summer. The days stretch to their fullest length, the sun seems to shine a little brighter, and there's an unmistakable energy in the air.
Whether you’re looking for ways to get outdoors, bring the outdoors inside, or recapture some of the childhood magic of summers gone by, there's no shortage of ideas to fill your days with fun. If you’re ready to make the most of it, here are some activities to inspire a June you won’t forget.
Pick up a beach read. Even if you're not heading to the beach, enjoy a fun summer page-turner. Think of it as a pool read, a park read, a patio read, or a hide-inside-with-the-AC-running read.
And while looking for that summer read - Visit your local library! Remember the fun of the summer reading program when you were a kid? Lots of libraries also have summer reading programs available for adults.
Whether it’s glazed, frosted, jelly, or cream-filled, enjoy your favorite doughnut on National Doughnut Day, June 5th.
Create a wildflower bouquet. See what's growing in your own backyard or that empty lot down the street and bring the beauty of the outdoors into your indoors.
Celebrate National Best Friends Day on June 8th. Get together for coffee, a meal, or drinks. Send your long-distance friend a lovely card or handwritten note letting them know you love and appreciate them.
Make some cold brew tea. Or sun tea. Incredibly easy and so refreshing on a hot afternoon. And a fun way to observe Iced Tea Day on June 10th
Cook outside. Everything tastes better when prepared on the grill. And there's the added bonus of not having to heat up the house by turning on the stove or oven
Juneteenth observes the day when enslaved persons in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom... almost 3 years after the Emancipation Proclamation! Attend a Juneteenth event in your community, familiarize yourself with the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution, or take some time to learn more about the history of slavery throughout the world and the struggle to end it.
Attend a fair or festival. Summer is the prime season for everything from craft fairs to music festivals. Check your local community calendars for events near you.
Father's Day is Sunday, June 21st. Celebrate the dads or father-figures in your life!
June 21st is also the Summer Solstice for those in the northern hemisphere. Enjoy the longest day of the year! Wake up and greet the sunrise or spend some time outside enjoying the extra-long evening.
Usually, the phrase is "On Wednesdays we wear pink". But we'll make an exception when National Pink Day falls on Tuesday, June 23! Wear your favorite pink outfit, some pink nail polish, or lipstick. Buy yourself some pink flowers. Enjoy your favorite pink food or drink.
Create some Chalk Art on your driveway or the sidewalk outside your home!
Do some stargazing. See how many constellations you can find. Watch for falling stars. Just ponder the beauty and mystery of the night sky.
Take a road trip. It doesn't have to be far, or even days away. Pick a location within an hour or two of where you live that you've always wanted to visit. Or spend a day cruising the backroads, stopping to check out any sites that catch your eye.
Let June be a reminder to lean into joy, try something different, and savor the longer days while they last. Here's to making the most of the season one sunny, carefree moment at a time.
