Ahhhh summer time. It’s that season that conjures up our youth and returns us to a simpler, more idyllic time before our responsible “adult life” took hold. I remember the magic of being on the ocean with my family and being outside in my neighborhood as the dew fell on freshly cut grass. Now, when I think of that time, I realize the key is to bring that kind of magic along with us every day and cultivate it in any season and at all ages.

So, as you plan for your summer vacation this year, pack more than your favorite book. Save a little space for thinking, dreaming and doing the things you love.

Here are my eight tips for making your own magic in any season.

Making Your Own Magic

1. Find your focus.
One of the things I love about vacation is that I often find that’s when I get an “ah-ha” moment or find the answer to something I’ve been thinking about. It’s hard to find your focus when you’re answering 200 e-mails in a day, and you’re surrounded by information overload. However, when you’re kayaking on a quiet pond, it’s much easier to answer the tough, big questions in life. There’s a reason Thoreau went to Walden Pond. Even then, there was “too much noise” in his regular life to answer the existential questions that he wanted to ponder. It doesn’t matter what your questions are, the only thing that matters is you give yourself the space and time to answer them.

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