Take The Summer Off

I have to say, this summer is one for the books. Truly one of the best.

Certainly, the highlight of this summer was getting married and the enjoyment of planning our mini wedding. A “fun project”, as my Mom put it.

And it’s true. I’ll always look back at planning our wedding as being a leisurely project during the summer of 2020, rather than a stressful and lengthy process most are familiar with.

But aside from that, nothing else really happened this summer. Like most, I didn’t leave the city, I didn’t see my friends like I used to, and I’m still unemployed.

I mainly stayed home, blogged, read books and listened to podcasts. But I was also outside a lot. I took up morning runs, read books under trees and hung out by the lake almost every day.

I truly basked in the summer weather. I’ve never had a summer like this before in my adult life (most summer days I’m inside an office). That’s why Summer 2020 is a summer to cherish.

Despite so much negativity and uncertainty that plagued us this year, the unique quietness, the alone-time, the pause of busy schedules was a much, much, much needed reset button.

When I lost my job in March, my instant reaction was panic. I’ve never been unemployed. Ever since I was 21, I’ve always had a steady job. Always. When I left a job, it’s because I had another job lined up for me.

That’s fourteen years of stable paycheques and a constant career-focused mindset. Heck, I even completed a Product Management certificate just as lockdown happened. So it’s understandable that a gal-on-the-go like me would panic, not knowing what lies ahead in terms of work and a stability.

But maybe that’s what I needed: to embrace the unknown for once in my life. I managed to find temporary work in the spring, and I hoped that my contract would renew in the summer. When it didn’t, the panic didn’t come back this time. I felt oddly at peace about it and I couldn’t figure out why.

As it turns out, I needed a break. Maybe deep down, I didn’t want my contract to renew. Maybe deep down, I didn’t want to…work. Once I actively decided that I would not dive into my usual hustle and that I would temporarily turn it all off, the pressure was released off my shoulders.

Especially during this unique time of a global pandemic when millions are out of work and the job market is slow. When I talked about it with my husband, he echoed what I was feeling, and he put it into words: “It’s kind of a good time to be unemployed. Just take the summer off”.

I’ve never had a summer off. I’m not a teacher, nor a student. My summers have always been very much “on” since 2006. So taking the summer off during a time when you can’t travel, you can’t see people, you can’t go anywhere….sounded perfect.

Like my usual seasonal recap posts, below are the rest of my snaps of Summer 2020. The one that I took off. Gosh, it feels good to say that.

It was beautiful, serene, memorable, and very well-needed. Above all, I am so grateful I was able to do this and would highly recommend it to anyone who can.