Resist

Have you noticed that “back-to-school” marketing appears earlier and earlier each year. Mid-July seems appropriate for some retailers to start planting the seeds of fall (for some families, this is barely two weeks into summer), and by now, it is full-throttle! That’s the retailers’ agenda, but is it yours?

I spend from early January through June looking forward to summer, anticipating the long, warm and often lazy days of July and August. With “back-to-school” messaging all around, it is a challenge to block it out and resist the thinking, planning and actions this triggers for us.

I invite you to consider ignoring these persistant marketing efforts. Instead of planning and shopping, why not enjoy EVERY last second of this amazing time of year. Plan a last-minute trip, a back yard gathering with friends and family now that it is safe to do so or a slow lunch in your favourite ‘hood instead of dragging yourself (and your kids?) to the shops looking for a Five-star notebook. Worst case scenario is you are buying pencils and re-thinking the work stations in September, and what is wrong with that?

There are three full weeks left until Labour Day, so what are you going to do with them?