Summer '25 Goals
As the season of adjustment comes to an end, I am now entering the season of exploration.
The first few months of moving to Jersey City have primarily been focused on settling in, finding my footing, and filling out paperwork. I arrived towards the end of February, also known as the depths of winter, which made stepping foot outside an unpleasant experience. Spring is oftentimes a season of new beginnings, but it also ushers in a lot of rain and unpredictable weather. You never knew when it would be sunny with a gentle breeze, humid and gross, or rainy and cloudy.
With Memorial Day weekend behind us, many say this is the unofficial start of summer. I like the idea of starting a season with some goals in mind. Maybe even in a bingo format to make it extra fun.
This summer, I intend to venture outside my comfort zone and find community.
What would that look like? For the entirety of summer, I’m committing to:
- Going on an artist date every week
- Saying yes to free events
- Writing for this blog every week
- Being outside
An artist date is one of the pillars of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. (Fun fact: she’s Martin Scorsese’s ex-wife.) The idea is to take yourself on a solo date once a week. Essentially, it’s dedicating time to nourish your inner artist and invite play into your week. Some ideas I have brewing are going to an indie cinema for a solo movie date, taking my time at an art museum, sketching what I see outside, trying out an art class, and checking out art-related books in the library. An artist date doesn’t have to involve money or consumption, so don’t see those as barriers to taking yourself out on an artist date!
Throughout summer, here are some things I want to include in my days:
- Watching a film for the 52-week film challenge
- Exploring new-to-me neighborhoods and sharing them here
- Trying one new thing every month
- Learning Spanish
- Going on walks
- Doing mat pilates
- Meditating every morning
- Taking intentional rest
I’m not sure what trying one new thing every month looks like yet, but I’m open to it being new activities, cuisines, recipes, and ingredients. If you have suggestions, please send them my way!
The perk of living in Jersey City is living close to the 5 boroughs of New York City. Sometimes, it makes going to certain boroughs much easier than when I used to live in Brooklyn. There are still so many neighborhoods I’ve yet to explore in New York City, as well as surrounding neighborhoods in Jersey City. The goal this summer is to visit at least one new neighborhood a month. As someone who overthinks commuting, I need to remind myself that a) the opportunity of having time and energy to explore is rare, so I better take advantage of this time, b) commuting via public transportation isn’t as daunting as it seems!, and c) I might discover something new that I would never have if I didn’t go outside my comfort zone.
I’m excited to see where this summer takes me. As someone who loves structure, this is the only way I can encourage myself to do something new. I’m also using this blog to keep myself accountable, so if I’m slacking, don’t hesitate to check in on me.
What are your summer goals? I would love to hear about them.
