In the epic scene at the end of Dirty Dancing, Johnny finally achieves the lift with Baby. Around them, the big band is playing, and everyone is dancing, smiling and feeling alive.
The look on Baby’s face says she feels like she’s flying and behind her eyes you can see she’s thinking “Holy s&*t, I did it.”
In my memory, that was the look on her face until I just recently re-watched that movie and saw something else.
This time I saw a woman who said to herself, “Of course, I did it.”
Either way, that moment did not happen by chance and it did not happen to her. It happened because of her. And that my lovely, is where you and intention come in.
I love a good fun fact, so hang on to your wide-brimmed hat and stay with me for this one. The summer of life translates to “l’été de la vie” in French.
I love that the word for summer basically looks like “let.” Shall we then? Shall we let summer be all it can be with its gifts of sunshine and invitations for adventure? Or shall we let summer sweep us away?
Start Here: Let Summer Workshop
In the epic scene at the end of Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayze lifts up Jennifer Grey, who looks like she’s flying. Around them, the big band is playing, and everyone is dancing, smiling and feeling alive.
The look on “Baby’s” face says she feels like she’s flying and behind her eyes you can see she’s thinking “Holy s&*t, I did it.”
. . . That moment did not happen by chance, and it did not happen to her. It happened because of her.
Part 1: Embracing Summer with Intention
It had been the kind of summer day that makes your heart want to explode.
My daughter and I spent the afternoon at the pool and were heading home for dinner. Our city hosts an outdoor summer concert series and I had forgotten that it was a concert night. As we drove past the gathering crowd, my daughter, who was in grade school, asked, “Can we go?”
Part 2: What’s Your Chai Tea
It was time for our annual block party, and while everyone else was pulling together dips and desserts, my mom was in the kitchen mixing up her greens.
I was a teenager at the time — full of opinions, as teenagers are — and I said: “Mom, what are you doing? No one wants to eat that.” Can you hear the indignation in my voice?
A thing about my mom: she had seven kids. I’m number six. So by the time I came around with all my sass and indignation, she’d heard it all before.
Part 3: Loving the Idea of Leaning In
Have you read the Sheryl Sandburg book on leaning in? If you don’t know, she was the COO of Facebook for a long time – so a woman in leadership in the tech industry, a mostly male industry you can imagine she had some profound insights and wisdom.
Part 4: Practical Ways to Lean Into Summer
I love the sound of the band, the feel of the night summer air, the energy of the crowd. An outdoor summer concert is a key summer moment for me — the highest of the high — and embodies my intention for this summer.
Our annual float trip is another key moment for me, but one that represents the low of summer.