Summer Means Time for Reading

Whether you have a chance to get away on a vacation, or are sticking close to home, the books you read this summer have the ability to take you on amazing journeys. 

Why not feast your eyes on a book that’s set in a place you’d love to see? Perhaps you'd like to reminisce and let a book carry you back to a destination or time you’ve visited in the past.

This may be a season when commitments at home prevent travel to a distant land. You still can experience a new destination through the pictures painted by a favorite author. 

To stimulate your imagination and help you take flight in book form, look at the quotations that follow to put you in the mood to read more this summer.

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go." — Dr. Seuss

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” ― Henry James

“Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...” ― Susan Polis Schutz

“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don't they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.” ― Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine

“Come with me,' Mom says. To the library. Books and summertime
go together.” ― Lisa Schroeder, I Heart You, You Haunt Me

“Even so, there were times I saw freshness and beauty. I could smell the air, and I really loved rock 'n' roll. Tears were warm, and girls were beautiful, like dreams. I liked movie theaters, the darkness and intimacy, and I liked the deep, sad summer nights.” 
― Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance

“They are embossed on every song that was a hit that summer, in every novel I read during and after his stay, on anything from the smell of rosemary on hot days to the frantic rattle of the cicadas in the afternoon—smells and sounds I’d grown up with and known every year of my life until then but that had suddenly turned on me and acquired an inflection forever colored by the events of that summer.” 
― André Aciman, Call Me by Your Name

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Books introduce you to new ways of thinking, as well as exercise your mind. Studies show that when you make reading a habit, it helps improve memory by giving your brain a work out. 

A book I know well, helps reduce stress, relax you, and improves your outlook. It uses color themed exercises, affirmations, journal writing, and reflection to help you discover new things about yourself.

The book is Colors of Joy: A Woman's Guide for Self-Discovery, Balance, and Bliss.
Order it now to enjoy a woman's self-care journal that makes great summer reading!

What's your favorite type of summer reading? 

Do you make reading a habit throughout the year? Please comment below and happy summer reading.

Updated July 1, 2018 to share that Babs Hightower interviewed me. Read the author interview online. 

Yahoo! I'll be releasing the 2nd Printing of the self-care journal "Colors of Joy" in October and I would love it if you'd read the Author Interview at Babs BookMark Magazine.

Before you go, I'm giving you a heads up. I'm taking a break from this blog for a few months. I'll continue to blog at Colors 4 Health, and invite you to visit me there. 💗

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15 One-Minute Health Boosters

Do you want to improve your health, but lack ideas and motivation? Perhaps you feel sluggish and want to restore your enthusiasm for daily living. Try out these 1 minute health boosters and see how little time and effort it takes to nurture your mind, body, and spirit.

1.Drink a tall one, an 8 oz. glass of water several times during the day. This will keep you hydrated, helps digestion, and makes skin dewy fresh.

2.Eat a half cup of beans, an excellent source of protein and fiber, to help you rev up energy, maintain regularity, without fat.

3.Splash your face with cool water to revive yourself, instead of drinking a cup of coffee and jarring your nerves.

4.Plan daily goals for exercise. It takes less than a minute to reserve time for this self-care practice on your calendar. Exercise pays off by reducing stress, helps keep you fit, and elevates mood.

5.Take a deep breath. Deep breathing eliminates anxiety and sends nourishing oxygen to all parts of your body.

6.Snack on a serving of fresh sweet peas for a change of pace treat. This healthy veggie has more vitamin C than 2 large apples and more protein than a whole egg or a tablespoon of peanut butter.

7.Take a 20-20-20 break. Every 20 minutes disengage from your computer screen by standing up and looking at what’s going on 20 feet away from you. Do this for at least 20 seconds. This saves eyesight and prevents eye and body strain.

8.Use eye drops to refresh your eyes at least two or three times a day.

9.Say “no” when you need to. Bowing out of tasks you really don't want or need to do enables you to prioritize your time, energy, and resources. It allows you to focus on meeting your own needs more effectively. In the long run, setting boundaries avoids building up resentments and stress.

10.Set water to hot (above 140 degrees F) when washing sheets, pillow cases, and towels to kill dust mites. Hot water washes can remove pet dander and pollen residue and makes laundry fresh smelling as well as clean.

11.Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen which is non-nano (SPF 30 or above) to face and body every day to reduce chances of getting skin cancer and sun damage. Wear UV protected sunglasses to cut down on exposure to radiation and protect sensitive skin around your eyes.

12.Shed shoes at your front door. Discover how easy it is to keep carpets cleaner and cut down on the amount of environmental pollutants you track into your home.

13.Hug a bud to get those good feelings flowing. Kiss your significant other, and compliment your kids to spread the love and nurture each other. Laugh often. It reduces stress and prevents "dis-ease."

14.Stretch by reaching for the sky, bending over to reach for your toes. Stand tall and roll your shoulders. Stretching relieves sore muscles, reduces tension, and relaxes shoulders, neck, and body.

15.Create a mental gratitude list. Give thanks for your blessings and see how fast it improves your mood and sense of well-being.

Wishing you good luck as you follow through on these one-minute health boosters. They have worked really well for me, and can work for you too. Begin today to increase your health quotient by adopting these 15 wellness techniques gradually. Please let me know which ones are in your daily routine already. Are there any you're reluctant to try? Let me know about those too. When you follow this blog, you'll be updated when a new post appears. Thanks for your interest. I so appreciate you!

Before you move on, please check out this link to my website. Find out how activities in my woman's interactive journal, Colors of Joy: A Woman's Guide for Self Discovery, Balance, and Bliss can enliven your spirit and improve your sense of well-being.

The quote for today follows:

"Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account." Anne Wilson Schaef

Read more at Brainyquote.com


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