The summer months are here along with sunburns, bug bites, and overeating at weekend gatherings! This article isn’t about sunscreen, natural insect repellants, or overeating though.

It’s about you, your family, your friends, your connection to yourself, others, nature, and something greater than yourself. We call these things your core foods—the things that feed you that aren’t on your plate.

Say Yes!

There’s a country song that says when you have the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance. The summer months are full of opportunities to dance—that is to engage both as a participant or spectator in many outdoor events.

Whether it’s a free outdoor concert, a 5k walk, sand soccer, an invitation to walk, ride your bike or go kayaking, say yes! One of the best things you can do for your health is to nurture existing relationships and build new friendships.

Inspire Yourself
Do something you’ve never done. Step outside your comfort zone. If you’ve thought about zip-lining or parasailing, do it!

Challenge yourself to join a running club, hike a new trail, or go somewhere you’ve never been. Give yourself the gifts of freedom, achievement, and the knowledge you can do whatever you set out to do.

Growth and Reflection
The summer months are also a great time for growth and reflection. Many of us spend more time outdoors with nature. We go on more walks and start to notice the little things like a bee landing on a flower. We remember we are not alone in the world but part of a bigger picture.

Take the time to jump in puddles and laugh out loud. Look for the rainbow after the storm. Listen for the sound of ocean waves or a river flowing; listen for birds in the trees, winds blowing in the fields, and of children playing.

Core Foods
These are some of the immediate things you can do to feed your body, mind and spirit throughout the summer months, but the subject of core foods goes much deeper. Our Wellness Coach Training students dive deep into core foods.

They learn about topics such as career satisfaction, relationships, self-care, and spirituality. They learn how to help their clients recognize when one of these areas is actually causing concern in another area. And, this is where transformation and growth really begins.