I am working on my tan this summer - a tall ordeal for a guy as white as I am.

There are a lot of great things about Summer – the weather for one and a lot of people seem happier and more relaxed.  Life is good! Throw some more shrimp on the Barbie and pass me a cold one.

However, if there is one thing I hate about Summer, it is this:

Using Summer as an excuse to be a PUNK about your life.

A punk?

Yes, you heard me. A punk!

What does that mean?

For me, a punk is someone who ‘shuts its down’ for the Summer.

It’s someone that sees Summer as a 2 month vacay – not only from those things we may need a vacation from (work, school, etc.) BUT ALSO the choices/decisions WE DO NOT NEED a vacation from.

Like what, you ask?

• Making a necessary decision (to START something new we badly need to begin or STOP something that is not working or hurting us, for example)
• Taking action on an idea that sits dormantly in our mind, screaming like a little kid to get out.
• Seizing opportunities to learn, grow, or expand ourselves.

The punk inside us says:

‘Screw that. I’m going to the beach. I’ll get around to it in September.’

And what do the rest of us do to discourage this kind of punk-like behaviour?

Nothing. We actually encourage it!

How? Look around you… how many groups, activities, schools, etc. do you know that shut down for the Summer? How many great things are postponed because Summer is a ‘slow time?’

I hate this.

It’s like we are Summer’s abusive spouse – enjoying the great parts but taking advantage of Summer’s generosity by deciding to not fully live.

No more.

Bottom Line:

Go to the beach. Get outside. Enjoy yourself. Live it up. But when you hear that little punk inside tell you that Summer is a time to watch passively from the sidelines as life passes you by, do me a favour:

Kick that little bugger in the butt and tell him not to come back until Christmas!