You don’t need a packed calendar. You need an intentional one.

Last week, on the blog, we talked about choosing how you want to feel this summer.
This week, we’re taking it one step further—because naming the feelings is just the beginning.
Now it’s time to make space for them.

Step 1: Revisit Your Words

Look back at the 2–3 feelings you chose.
What were they? Joyful? Peaceful? Adventurous? Grounded?

Write them down again.
These are your north stars for the season ahead.

Step 2: What creates those feelings for you?

Let’s take a few examples:

If you chose “Peaceful”…

What makes you feel calm and grounded?

• Early morning walks
  
  
• Putting your phone away by 8pm
  
  
• Saying no to draining commitments
  
  

If you chose “Joyful”…

What lights you up—even in small ways?

• Dance breaks in the kitchen
  
  
• Singing in the car
  
  
• Planning something fun to look forward to each week
  
  

If you chose “Energized”…

What gives you momentum instead of draining it?

• Joining a fitness class
  
  
• Trying a new hobby
  
  
• Spending time with people who inspire you
  
  

You get to decide what your version of these feelings looks like.

Step 3: What needs to go?

To create space for these feelings, something might have to give.

Ask yourself:

• What habits or obligations pull me away from how I want to feel?
  
  
• What can I let go of or shift this summer to make room for more of what matters?
  
  

This might mean:

• Releasing guilt over doing less
  
  
• Letting go of pressure to be everything to everyone
  
  
• Saying no (without a 3-paragraph explanation)
  
  

Create your summer plan

Here’s a simple formula you can try:
Feeling → Action → Schedule it

Example:

• Feeling: Connected
  
  
• Action: Weekly coffee with a friend
  
  
• Schedule: Every Thursday morning at 9am
  
  

Make it visible.
Put it on your calendar.
Treat it like something that matters—because it does.

A gentle reminder…

You don’t need to fill every day with plans.
You don’t need to “earn” your fun or justify your joy.

This is your invitation to build a summer that reflects the woman you are now—not the one you used to be, and not the one the world expects you to be.

Tell me in the comments:

What’s one thing you’re going to start, stop, or schedule this summer to help you feel the way you want to feel?

And if you’re not sure where to start, come hang out with us in the Midlife With Purpose Facebook group. You’ll find encouragement, community, and reminders that you’re not alone.