Here we are again on the brink of the true dog days of summer. This marks the time of year when my New York City neighborhood feels as close to a ghost town as you can get in the concrete jungle. Aside from the few tourists who wander north of Times Square and midtown, this is the time of year when I rarely wait in line at the grocery store or wait for an elliptical machine at the gym. It’s also the time of year when I take my an annual hiatus from writing new blog posts until after Labor Day.

Before I sign off on this Motivation Monday, I want to encourage each of you to enjoy these sunlight-filled days to the fullest. Lately, I seem to be bombarded daily with reminders of how truly short and precious life is. So whatever makes you happiest at this time of year, I hope you take every opportunity to steal as many moments as you can to enjoy those activities. Whether you have the luxury of escaping to the beach for a whole day or you can steal away to your backyard for only 10 or 20 minutes, savor whatever moments you can.

If you’re dealing with family or work-related drama, do your best to take care of your body and spirit. Go for a walk around the block to clear your head or grab a buddy for an outdoor workout and some iced tea and conversation after. Haven’t seen a special someone in awhile? Why not plan an impromptu barbecue or happy hour and enjoy a few moments of laughter and catch-up time. Have that ice cream cone. Have that second glass of wine. Whatever you do, wherever you go and whoever you spend time with, also remember to put down that smart phone once once or twice and be truly present in the moment.

As the iconic Ferris Bueller put it in one of my all-time favorite movies from the 1980s:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

Summer is just one, tiny part of our lightning-paced lives. As it continues, I wish you plenty of sunshine, smiles and good times with the people you love. I look forward to being back here in September and picking up with new plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!