5 Tips to Help You Achieve Your Summer Goals

Summer is finally here.

We don’t know about you, but the extra daylight hours and warmer weather have us daydreaming about lounging by the pool, planning trips, and summer fun.

All too often, summer goes by in a blur. The warm weeks fly by without ticking off the adventures on our summer to do list that we planned. So this year, we’re getting serious about our bucket list.

There’s likely far too many amazing things on these lists to get to in a single summer, but we’re definitely going to make a dent.

Here are 5 ways to hold yourself accountable for your summer goals so you can make the most of the season before it passes you by!

1. Make a List

This one’s essential: Write it down. The simple act of writing down your goals increases the likelihood of them happening by a whopping 42%.

There’s some serious psychological magic that happens when you solidify an intention by putting it in ink. So use this to your advantage this summer: grab a journal and get that brainstorm out of your head and onto paper.

Remember, specifics are key when it comes to solidifying more abstract goals. For example, maybe your intention this summer is to “paint more” — but this idea is pretty vague. Be specific with your intention by instead writing “paint my view of Boulder creek from 5 different spots in town by September 1^st.”

2. Save the Date

Have one of those long distance friend who is always on the go? With hectic schedules and the miles between you, catching up can get tricky.

Our solution? Plan way ahead.

At Sherpani, we’ve been known to put a FaceTime date with a friend on the calendar up to 6 weeks in advance. This may sound like overkill, but that time will continue to pass. And before you know it, the day will arrive and you’ll be so glad you saved it for you and your friend.

This strategy isn’t just for nailing down plans with busy friends, either. Setting aside time for fun has many benefits.

Not all adventures are created equal. While some may work on impulse, others will require a few weeks of preparation. Putting something on a calendar prepares you for the mental, physical, and financial energy required to make it happen.

3. Buddy Up

Sometimes it’s easier to show up for someone else than it is for yourself. When you’re riding solo, it’s easy to convince yourself you’re not in the mood for fun. We get that.

But chances are, if someone you care about is meeting you at the trailhead, you’ll be sure to get yourself there.

Accountability is a super useful tool that you can use to tackle the more ambitious summer activities on your list. So try to commit to going somewhere with a friend or a group. That way, when the day arrives, there’s no backing down.

This trick has worked wonders for us so far this year. Tess, our Sherpani Lifestyle Blogger, promises her 10-year-old cousin a weekly day hike. When the morning of the hike rolls around and she’d rather sleep in, she thinks about her hiking buddy already packed and waiting for her to pick her up. Kids make for the ultimate accountability buddies.

Our favorite local hike right now is Bear Peak in Boulder, which has a fairly ambitious summit in addition to beautiful, flatter trails, making it a great spot for any desired intensity. Grab your buddy (child or adult) and hit that trail!

4. Have a Backup Plan

Most summer plans are born with the assumption of sunny skies. So what happens if a summer storm rolls through the morning of your outdoor adventure?

Here in Colorado, unpredictable weather is always a possibility. The best way to deal with this is to prepare a backup plan that revolves around indoor fun instead:

• Too windy for your picnic? That’s the perfect opportunity to try a new restaurant. Sounds like the perfect excuse for jackfruit tacos and craft beer from William Oliver’s.

• Summer rainstorm keeping you off the golf course? Might as well catch that new movie. How we’ve missed the big screen this past year and a half!

• Triple digit temperatures threatening your walk? A perfect excuse for a self-care treatment instead, maybe even a sensory deprivation tank. This one’s on our summer bucket list for sure.

See how it works? If you already have the designated adventure hours, honor them as such. 

5. Change Your Alarm

This one might sound a bit strange, but hear us out. A lot of summer adventures require an early morning, and early mornings typically require a wakeup call. Whether your everyday alarm is a pleasant tone or a favorite song, most of us wake up to the same sound again and again.

By choosing a new alarm sound that is specific to only those anticipated adventure days, you can manipulate this to your advantage. From your first waking moment you’ll know it’s not just another day, but a special one.

Why leave your subconscious out of the fun?

Bring Your Summer Fun to Life

There you have it: a few concrete ways to manifest those summer daydreams in pretty simple ways. 

All you need is a little creativity (and accountability) to get the most out of the fleeting summer months. Now go make those dreams happen!

And don’t forget, Sherpani has you covered with the very best weekender bags for women, anti-theft travel purses, or simple tote bags made for lounging at the pool.

Whatever summer plans you have in store, we have the perfect bags to help you tackle them one adventure at a time.

Find your perfect bag for summer >

 

By women for women, the Sherpani Travel Blog talks about all things travel (& all things Sherpani!). Explore topics like solo travel, destination guides, women's travel safety, personal essays, and much more! This is a space to amplify female voices and celebrate our belief that travel restores the human spirit.