Summer Reality Check: It's Not Always Instagram-Worthy (And That's Okay)

If social media is to be believed, summer is supposed to look effortless.

The gardens are perfectly weeded. Everyone is drinking gallons of water. The kids are making core memories. Dinner is healthy. The house is clean. And somehow there's still time to sit on the porch with a cute drink and watch the sunset.

Meanwhile, here in the real world, my garden is trying its best, my water bottle is mostly decorative by 4 PM, and the mosquitoes have once again decided I'm their favorite person.

And honestly? I'm okay with that.

The older I get, the less interested I am in doing things perfectly and the more interested I am in finding simple things that make life a little easier.

Take my garden, for example.

Every spring I convince myself this is the year I'm finally going to stay ahead of the weeds. I buy the flowers, plant the vegetables, and spend way too much time deciding where everything should go. For a few weeks it looks great. Then life gets busy, we get some rain, and suddenly I'm staring at weeds wondering where they all came from.

Last weekend I went outside planning to pull "just a few weeds." Three hours later I was still out there. My back was reminding me that I'm not twenty anymore, and Deep Relief became my best friend for the rest of the day.

I do have a few things that make gardening season more enjoyable though. Peppermint is one of my favorite oils to keep nearby on hot days. A little on the back of my neck before heading outside feels refreshing, especially when Maryland decides it's going to be ninety degrees before lunch. I also love running a diffuser with Citronella nearby while I'm working. The mosquitoes don't seem to appreciate it nearly as much as I do.

One thing I've enjoyed experimenting with over the years is adding a few drops of DiGize to my watering can. It might sound strange if you've never heard of it before, but many gardeners have incorporated it into their gardening routines as part of their efforts to support healthy soil and thriving plants.

My goal these days isn't a magazine-worthy garden. It's keeping the plants alive, growing a few things we can enjoy, and spending some time outside without turning it into another item on my to-do list.

Speaking of things that don't always go according to plan, let's talk about hydration.

Every summer I tell myself this is going to be the year I become one of those people who effortlessly drinks water all day long. You know the type. They carry a giant water bottle everywhere and somehow finish it multiple times before lunch.

I am not that person.

Every morning starts with good intentions. My water bottle is full. It's sitting right next to me. I genuinely believe today's the day. Then I get busy, answer emails, run errands, work outside, and suddenly it's late afternoon and I've somehow survived on iced coffee, pure determination, and about six sips of water.

I've learned I need all the help I can get. Adding Jade Lemon Vitality or Lime Vitality to my water makes a huge difference because plain water gets boring fast. Starting my day with NingXia Red has become one of those habits I rarely skip, and when I'm spending a lot of time outside, especially working in the garden, I'll often add electrolytes because some days water alone just doesn't seem to do the trick.

Am I perfect at it? Not even close.

Am I doing better than I was a few years ago? Most days.

I'll take the win.

Then there are the mosquitoes.

If you've followed me for any length of time, you know I've accepted that mosquitoes apparently find me irresistible. Ball games, cookouts, walks around the neighborhood, evenings on the porch—it doesn't matter. If there's a mosquito nearby, it will find me.

That's why Young Living's Insect Repellent lives in my bag all summer long. It's one of those products I don't think much about until I need it, and then I'm really glad I have it. The bottle is generously sized too, which is good because it seems to get used constantly this time of year.

For the DIY crowd, I also love making a simple outdoor spray with distilled water, witch hazel, Citronella, Geranium and Purification. It takes about two minutes to make and is easy to keep by the door before heading outside.

Another favorite trick is running a cordless diffuser with Citronella on the porch while we're sitting outside in the evenings.

It's simple, it smells nice, and anything that helps me enjoy summer without becoming a mosquito buffet is worth trying.

The funny thing about all of this is that none of these habits are complicated.

As I've gotten older, I've realized the wellness habits that stick aren't usually the fancy ones. They're the simple things you can repeat over and over again without having to think too hard about them.

For me, that looks like NingXia Red, drinking more water, getting some movement every day, using my daily oils, and taking a handful of supplements. Nothing groundbreaking. Nothing that would make for an exciting Instagram reel. Just a few habits that fit into my life.

Some days I do great. Some days I'm reheating the same cup of coffee for the third time and wondering how it's already time to make dinner.

That's life. And maybe that's my biggest summer reality check.

The garden doesn't have to be perfect. The wellness routine doesn't have to be perfect. I don't have to do summer perfectly.

I just want to enjoy it. Spend time with my family. Make some memories. Keep the plants alive. Stay mostly ahead of the weeds. And maybe, just maybe, finish my water before 4 PM.

If I can pull that off, I'm calling it a successful summer.

So tell me—what's your biggest summer reality check?

A Little Bonus for Making It to the End

If you've stuck with me through the hydration struggles, mosquito complaints, and garden confessions, you deserve a prize.

Unfortunately, all I have are recipes.

The good news is they're pretty good recipes.

Now I'd love to hear from you... What's one simple thing that makes your summer a little easier?

Before You Go...

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