Summer Refresh

For some of us, summer is about finishing a grade in school, free time, no schedule, warm weather, late nights, family and friends.  Myself included. Summer for me has also always been a great time to hit my refresh button.  To give myself the opportunity to make a fresh start.  As a young girl this might have meant being determined to grow up and be more mature over the summer before the start of the next school year.  I would use the chance to take risks I might not usually, be brave, try new things, gain confidence within myself. 

When I was busy with modeling, I relished in summer not only for obvious reasons but more so because in Europe, the industry basically shuts down for the summer so, I never felt like I had to say no to work.  It was almost like a free pass for a vacation, a chance to recharge without the guilt.  I would count down my final jobs of the season and so look forward to disappearing from the scene, into my summer world.

A lot of those summers I spent reinventing myself, similarly to days in elementary school or high school but, on the fashion world level.  This meant, instead of building confidence or determining how I wanted to change the way I presented myself to the world, I reinvented my look.  As boring as that sounds, in the fashion industry, your look is everything and messing with it, isn’t often a good thing.  If people are used to your pale skin and long red har, it’s not a guarentee they will love your look (want to book you) as much if you return after summer break with a tan and short blonde hair.  For me, it was something I have always very much enjoyed.  I enjoy change, be it in style, hair, weather, architecture, seasons….I find it sparks a little light in my soul, opens up my creativity, my look on life, it gives me a brighter and new perspective.  A new energy to face the world with.  

This summer I’ve been listening to my kids and their friends talk a lot about who they are “back home”, the way they present themselves to the world and how they might want to make a change in that by the time they return this fall.  I see them doing the same things I did, being bold, trying new things.  Pushing their own limits, and it makes me happy and proud of them and for them.  They’re looking ahead into the world, looking at themselves thoughtfully and, in front of me are molding themselves into the version of themselves they want to be.  Not who I want them to be or society but, themselves.  What more could we want from our kids than to be the best version of who they are?  

For myself this summer, I have been working on being more intentional in moments.  I’m pretty scatterbrained and tend to do a bad job at a lot of things all at once.  I get overwhelmed and never do as good of a job on any one thing that I would like to be doing.  I always feel like I could have done a better job and I’ve decided that I’m ready to do just that.  

I’m trying to break down the things I have to do in the day, month or year and dedicate time (one at a time) to each of these things.  With four kids and four needy pets, it’s not always easy and I certainly get off track frequently but, just like my younger self and like my kids; I have the rest of the summer to work on becoming this newer, recharged and refreshed version of myself.  

Cheers to you all and to the second stretch of summer!  We’ve got time to make the changes we want to make!! 

XOXO, Maggie