The Many Flavors of Summertime

I love this time of the year, for there is so much activity going on everywhere you look or go! Both gardening and ice cream socials play integral roles in community engagement by bringing people together, fostering connections, and creating opportunities for shared experiences and collective enjoyment, while seemingly different, share several delightful similarities that can make for an interesting analogy:

Preparation: An ice cream social requires planning and gathering ingredients and usually takes place outdoors in pleasant weather, allowing participants to enjoy the natural environment while indulging in a sweet treat. Gardening involves preparing the soil, selecting the right plants, and gathering tools. Both activities need careful preparation to ensure a successful outcome.

Variety and Choice: An ice cream social offers a delightful array of flavors, toppings, and sauces, catering to various tastes and preferences. Similarly, a garden can feature a diverse selection of plants, flowers, vegetables, and herbs, each adding unique beauty, charm, and utility to the space.

Community and Sharing: Both activities foster a strong sense of community and togetherness. An ice cream social is a cheerful gathering where people come together to enjoy delicious treats and socialize. Similarly, gardening can be a communal activity, where neighbors share gardening tips, produce, experiences, and even lend a helping hand, strengthening bonds within the community.

Enjoyment and Satisfaction: The joy of savoring a refreshing ice cream on a hot summer day is like the deep satisfaction of watching your garden thrive and produce vibrant flowers or bountiful vegetables. Both activities provide a profound sense of accomplishment, delight, and pleasure.

Creativity: Just as you can get creative with ice cream combinations—mixing flavors, adding toppings, and crafting sundaes (My favorite combo is Black Raspberry and Chocolate Chip)—gardening allows for a wide range of creative expression. You can design landscapes, arrange plants in visually appealing ways, and experiment with different garden layouts. Each garden, like each ice cream creation, can be unique and personal, reflecting individual tastes, styles, and inspirations.

Seasonal Delight: Ice cream is especially popular in the summer, offering a refreshing and cooling treat that is perfect for hot weather. The creamy texture and cold sensation of ice cream provide a delightful way to beat the heat and enjoy the season. Similarly, gardening has its seasonal peaks, with spring and summer being the prime times for planting and nurturing growth. Spring is ideal for sowing seeds and planting young plants, while summer allows for the full enjoyment of blooming flowers, ripening vegetables, and lush greenery. Both activities are closely tied to the seasons, making the most of the warm weather to create enjoyable and fulfilling experiences.

By drawing these parallels, you can see how both gardening and an ice cream social can be fulfilling, enjoyable, and community-oriented activities. Each offers unique opportunities for creativity, preparation, and shared experiences, bringing their own kind of sweetness to life. Whether savoring a delightful ice cream treat or nurturing a thriving garden, both activities enrich our lives and foster a sense of community and connection.

Debbie Marks is a staff writer for the Freestyle Living Magazine. She is a global marketing entrepreneur, author, speaker, health & wellness coach, home-based business coach, social 

media trainer, & organic homesteader. Debbie is a regional sales director for Melaleuca and facilitates her monthly podcast, Fireside Chat with Debbie Marks.

Ice Cream Memories Intertwining with Relationships

Ice cream and summer go together. The cold, sugary treat fits perfectly with hot days and warm evenings. What memories does ice cream bring up for you? Where were you when you enjoyed this great summer treat? Who was with you? Was it just a small group of friends, family, or a large ice cream social?

Was homemade ice cream part of your memories? It was for me. Our parents always had the ingredients ready, and we would often make it on late summer Sunday afternoons. We were making memories as a family. It was always vanilla—the only flavor for my mom. I have also attended ice cream socials where I could choose from many flavors, which was fun.

My husband and I make homemade ice cream a few times in the summer, which is always a special treat. Ours is vanilla too, served with brownies and strawberries. We usually make it for the two family summer birthdays—my daughter’s and mine. We are creating more family memories. 

Let’s think about the memories connected to ice cream. Science shows that emotions connected to memories make these memories stronger. Yes, we remember the sweet, cold taste with pleaure, but more importantly, we remember the people we were with and they made us feel. It is all about relationships, isn’t it?

You might have a few bad memories with ice cream, maybe because of a fight or someone who wasn’t there. But I bet most memories are happy. A warm summer evening, enjoying ice cream with people you love, old friends, or even new friends. Because we have emotions attached to the experience, these memories become even stronger.

If you do have a bad memory associated with summer ice cream, this next part is for you. According to Kamal Ravikant in Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It, it's not just remembering that makes a memory stronger. How you feel when you remember something matters too. If you feel sad when you remember, the bad parts will seem bigger. But if you remember the same experience when you are happy, the good parts will seem bigger. This positive way of remembering can change how the memory feels. For transformation, continue to remember the experience from your happy place. This works for any memory, big or small, not just with ice cream.

Things to Do:

1. Take the time this summer to think about your summer ice cream memories, both the good and the bad.
2. If a bad memory comes up, don’t fight it. Try to remember it again when you are happy and see the good parts stand out. It will benefit both you and your relationships.
3. Is there anyone you wish to reach out to after remembering a special time with them?

Ruth Pierce is a Staff Writer for the Freestyle Living magazine. She is a Relationship Maximizer, using relationship insights from almost 50 years of marriage and over 10 years in Human Resource Management. You can connect with her through her Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/ruthpiercetimetofly.

Your Power with “The Pause”

Just like the refreshing sweetness of ice cream on a hot summer day, “The Pause” is a cool, soothing moment that can transform your life. This brief interlude, happening many times daily, holds immense power. It’s the space between an event and your reaction to it—a moment where you have complete control.

While we often believe we can control many things, that’s mostly an illusion. However, you can always control your reactions. How you respond determines the subsequent chain of events.

Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor, emphasized this crucial space between stimulus and response as the locus of our true power. He succinctly articulated this concept: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Frankl regarded this space as the “last of the human freedoms,” underscoring its importance as the foundation of our personal freedom and development.

Understanding this idea is essential. The next step is preparing for those moments. The concept of “The Pause” can significantly impact our lives, just like savoring a scoop of your favorite ice cream can make a summer day better.

Here are some specific recommendations on how to prepare for that moment of control:

1. Awareness and Mindfulness

• Cultivate awareness of the pause by recognizing it exists and actively seeking it out.
• Practice mindfulness techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing, to enhance your ability to notice the gap between stimulus and response.

1. Pause and Reflect

• When faced with a situation, consciously pause before reacting. Count to three, take a deep breath, or mentally step back.
• During the pause, reflect on your options and consider different responses and their potential consequences. Ask yourself, “What outcome do I want? How can I respond in alignment with my values?”

1. Self-Regulation and Preparation

• Develop emotional self-regulation skills to manage anger, frustration, or impatience during the pause.
• Prepare mentally for challenging moments by anticipating situations where you’ll need to exercise control and planning how you’ll respond constructively.

1. Align with Values and Intentions

• Clarify your values and intentions and use these as a guide for your responses.
• Ensure that your actions align with your core beliefs and what matters most to you.

1. Learn and Practice

• Reflect on past situations where you reacted impulsively and consider what you could have done differently.
• Role-play scenarios in your mind, imagine various situations and practice choosing deliberate responses. Visualize yourself responding calmly, assertively, or compassionately.

By integrating these key practices into your life, you can master the pause, leading to more intentional and positive outcomes.

Just as a refreshing scoop of ice cream can be a delightful pause on a busy summer day, mastering the pause in life is a gift—a moment of choice. By mastering it, we can shape our lives and create positive outcomes.

L. Mason VanDyke is a Staff Writer for the Freestyle Living Magazine. He is not just an author but a captivating storyteller, weaving narratives that transport readers into rich, immersive worlds of imagination. You can connect with L Mason VanDyke through his email at: [email protected]

From Scoops to Safety: Navigating Toxins in Frozen Delights

As the sun climbs higher and the days grow warmer, there's nothing quite like indulging in a delightful scoop of ice cream or a tangy popsicle to beat the heat.

Yet, amidst the swirls and flavors of these frozen delights, there's a tale of caution about some sneaky ingredients that might not be as sweet as they seem.

Meet Red No. 3 and titanium dioxide, the mischievous duo causing a stir in the world of frozen treats. Red No. 3, a vibrant synthetic dye used to make ice creams and popsicles pop with color, has a dubious reputation.

Banned in sunny California due to concerns about its effect on kids' behavior and potential links to cancer, this dye still manages to sneak its way into ice cream bowls across the country.

Then there's titanium dioxide, the brightening wizard of the food world, giving desserts that smooth, shiny finish. In its nanoparticle form, this ingredient has some scientists worried about its ability to build up in our bodies and cause mischief of its own.

While our friends across the pond in Europe have sent titanium dioxide packing from their food, it remains legal in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

But fear not, brave dessert seekers! Some states are leading the charge to clean up these tasty treats. California, always at the forefront of health trends, has waved goodbye to Red No. 3 and a host of other questionable food additives.

Other states are following suit, with bills sprouting up like daisies in a spring meadow to curb the use of these troublesome ingredients.

For those of us on the hunt for safer, sweeter options, a little label sleuthing goes a long way. Keep an eye out for terms like "artificial color" or the telltale names Red 3 and titanium dioxide.

Websites like EWG’s Food Scores can guide you toward frozen delights that skip the sketchy stuff. And remember, organic choices are like the knights in shining armor of the dessert aisle, sworn to protect you from these chemical dragons.

So, as you dive into the summer season of frozen fantasies, arm yourself with knowledge and a discerning palate.

Let's enjoy our ice creams and popsicles with a sprinkle of caution and a scoop of whimsy, knowing we're making delicious choices for our health and happiness.

Rita Brewer is a Staff Writer for the Freestyle Living Magazine. She is a Physician Associate and Health Coach who is passionate about helping her clients reverse their type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle-related health conditions. You can connect with her through her website: https://ritabrewer.com

Summer Lovin’ Means Beach Reads

Summer. Three wonderful months of sunshine, beach, ice cream socials, maybe a little romance. At least many of us imagine our summers to be this way. We do it by living vicariously through books. Yes, the ever-so-popular beach reads.

According to a 2020 article in Book Riot, the term “beach read” was a marketing tool first used in 1990. The list came out in late spring. It advertised the summer season’s most anticipated books, no matter their genre.

Today, hundreds of websites and magazines publish summer reading book lists. They’ve also refined what type of book would be called a beach read. Beach reads would have mass appeal. They’d be an escape from reality, easy to read, captivating, and accessible to many readers. The romance genre fills the beach read requirements perfectly.

Amazon’s current list of summer beach reads includes Gulf Coast Cottage by Maggie Miller, whose 53-year-old character Georgia escapes to the Gulf Coast of Florida and finds a second chance at life, love, and happiness. Fiona Baker’s Whale Harbor Dreams is about Darla, an artist who’s lost her creative spark until she returns to her beachside hometown, where she, too, finds a second chance at life and love.

If you’re interested in writing your own romance beach read, here are the major elements to follow:

Character: Two main characters are referred to as the “love interests.” However, the two have no intention of falling in love with each other in the beginning.

The Spark or the Hook: Something happens, a look, an action, a sound that sets the romance in motion. Does his laughter make her smile for the first time in months? Does she believe, as he does, in coordinating an ice cream social as a fundraiser to help the local animal shelter?

Setting: A beach town. A summer family reunion complete with a make-your-own ice cream dessert bar. We readers may not find ourselves in such a dreamy location, but we can live it out via our characters’ stories.

Action: Does he own an ice cream stand on the boardwalk and she delivers the soda pop? Did they once dislike each other in high school, but now he’s the baker who saves her church picnic by replacing her ruined cupcakes with his award-winning fruit pies?

Mood: The overall “feel” of the story is breezy and light. Save the intellectual stimulation for colder weather reading. Lots of ice cream cones melting in the sun moments. Evenings spent roasting marshmallows and staring at starry skies over an ocean.

Conflict: Conflict keeps us turning the page. Will they split up over a revealed secret? Does the ex enter the story? Does one of the lovers have to consider leaving town—permanently? Whatever the conflict, it has to rain on their beach towels and soggy picnic plans.

Conclusion or Resolution: The peak of their conflict has us wondering if they’ll ever come back together. But this is a romantic beach read. In the end, they not only return to each other’s arms, but we get to see them nestled together, sharing one ice cream float and two straws. United. Forever.

Sandy Kachurek is a Staff Writer for the Freestyle Living Magazine. She is the director of Into the Springs Writers' Workshop. The 2024 details for the workshop are available now!. 

You can connect with Sandy through her email at: [email protected] or connect with her on her Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/IntoTheSpringsWritersWorkshop/

Summer, Fun, and Ice Cream

Summertime is here and for me, it is time for some fun, and most importantly, I get to enjoy ice cream all summer long. You may ask…why? I am that strange person who only eats ice cream in the summer. It’s so refreshing on a hot summer day.

Summer brings warm weather, longer days, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. Summer is the perfect time to gather friends, family, and neighbors for a fun and refreshing event. An ice cream social is a fantastic way to bring everyone together to enjoy delicious treats and create lasting memories.

Hosting an ice cream social is a delightful way to enjoy the summer with your family, friends, or community. With a little planning and creativity, you can create an event that’s not only fun but also memorable for everyone involved. So, scoop up your favorite flavors, gather your friends, and get ready for a sweet summer celebration!

Warm sunshine and blooming flowers are the perfect setting and backdrop for an Ice Cream Social.

Creating an ice cream social event is not only fun, but it brings anticipated excitement to people of all ages.

I want you to close your eyes and imagine with me. The setting takes place in your local park or backyard. A lush green expanse of oak trees and vibrant flower beds. A transformation of a lively carnival of colors and sounds.

In the center stands the main attraction, the ice cream stand. An array of flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and the list goes on and on.

As the afternoon sun climbs higher, the Ice Cream Social is in full swing. Friends and family, catching up on each other’s lives and sharing stories.

As the day begins to wind down, to summer, and to the sweetest moments shared with friends and family.

The sun sets, casting a golden glow. The Ice Cream Social is coming to an end, but the memories of the day would linger long after the last scoop had been served. As families pack up and children, now sleepy and content, are carried home, everyone is already looking forward to next summer’s gathering.

And so, a tradition is formed, a sweet reminder of the joy found in simple pleasures and the warmth of family and friends, made all the sweeter by a shared love for ice cream.

Carmella Banks is our featured Staff Writer for this edition of the Freestyle Living Magazine and is a Wellness Advocate for doTERRA Essential Oils. You can connect with Carmella through her linked-in profile at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmella-banks-1781a370/

Or on her Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/822573918497806

Real Estate Investing: Finding Your Perfect Flavor

Real estate investing can be compared to the delightful experience of exploring different ice cream flavors. Each property type and investment strategy offers unique opportunities and challenges, much like how each ice cream flavor provides a distinct taste and texture. Investors must assess their preferences and financial goals to find the perfect match, navigating through the wide array of options available in the real estate market.

Much like how no two ice cream shops offer the same experience, each real estate investment is unique. Single-family homes, multifamily units, commercial properties, and vacation rentals each come with their own set of risks and rewards. Investors must evaluate location, market trends, and property conditions, similar to how an ice cream enthusiast might consider flavor combinations, ingredients, and presentation. This careful selection process is crucial for maximizing returns and minimizing risks.

Similar to the way ice cream flavors can range from classic vanilla to exotic lavender honey, real estate investment strategies also vary widely. Some investors may prefer the simplicity and stability of residential rentals, akin to a comforting scoop of vanilla ice cream. Others might seek the high returns and complexity of commercial properties, comparable to the adventurous choice of spicy jalapeño ice cream. Understanding one's risk tolerance and investment goals is essential in selecting the right property and strategy.

Just as experimenting with new ice cream flavors can be thrilling, diversifying a real estate portfolio can yield exciting returns. A well-balanced mix of properties, including residential, commercial, and vacation rentals, can spread risk and maximize profitability. This approach ensures that investors are not overly reliant on one type of property, much like how a varied diet of ice cream flavors keeps dessert interesting and satisfying. Diversification can also provide stability in changing market conditions, protecting investments from downturns in specific sectors.

In the same way that enjoying ice cream is a sensory delight, real estate investing offers tangible and rewarding experiences. Whether it's the steady rental income from a well-chosen property or the appreciation in value over time, real estate provides numerous benefits. Investors can take pride in their properties, much like savoring a favorite ice cream cone, knowing that their investments contribute to financial growth and stability.

Ultimately, the joy of real estate investing lies in the journey and the rewards, much like savoring different ice cream flavors. By approaching investments with the same curiosity and enthusiasm as exploring a new ice cream parlor, investors can discover what works best for their unique preferences and goals. This mindset not only enhances the investing experience but also leads to better-informed decisions and potentially greater returns.

Kathy Binner is an Executive Contributor, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of the Freestyle Living Magazine. As a way to give back and serve her clients, Kathy is writing her ‘Simply Start’ courses, facilitating her online Masterminds, and conducting her private coaching sessions. In her free time, she enjoys writing, hiking, cycling, and ballroom dancing! You can connect with Kathy through her website at: www.kathybinner.com

Summertime Satisfaction

No offense to Lana Del Rey but summertime is not the time for sadness. In fact, I derive so much elation from the season, oftentimes seemingly almost as if through osmosis. Even upon waking in the very early mornings, I am blithely aware that the sensations of cheerfulness and joy are already slowly starting to sneak their way into my system. And how can one help but to arouse with a smile when the birds are singing, the sun is beaming, and there’s such a high tempo of life and energy in the air that it’s almost palpable? Yes, the beatitude of summer is undeniable; sorry not sorry.

Summer is defined not only by our calendars but also by our experiences and emotions. Remember the absolute ecstasy that you would feel on the very last day of school before summer break? That collective dopamine delirium that took ahold of you and your peers? When you just knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that THIS was going to be the-best-summer-ever?! That unbridled exhilaration that comes from being so carefree is truly symbolic of summer. Ahhhh, memories.

It’s been a long time since I was a kid on the brink of break-time bliss. And I find that it’s much harder nowadays as an adult to achieve those same levels of jubilation without a prescription. But I have found that there is in fact a way to rejuvenate your summer spirits anytime, anywhere: ice cream! Nothing is more definitive of summer than ice cream. As kids, my brother and I would turn the house upside down looking for loose change when we heard the ice cream truck coming. That hypnotically sweet melody appearing on the horizon would slowly grow louder and louder as summer salvation approached. Panic would set in as we clamored through the couch cushions seeking lost treasure in the form of nickels and dimes. Our mouths drooling and minds dizzy wondering what transports of delight await us if only we can make it in time!? Oh the antici-

Patience is a virtue that most kids lack. But ice cream can be a sensational motivator. I recall a great aunt who used to babysit us and she would employ the promise of ice cream at the end of the day as a reward for good behavior. And not just ice cream, but toppings too. Oh, you want some hot fudge? Do your homework. You’d like whipped cream too? Clean your room. You want it served in a cone? Mind your manners. Yes Auntie. Please Auntie. Thank you Auntie. And at the end of the day we’d all be on cloud nine. We from our hard-earned ice cream confections, and she from her lithium sprinkles.

Young and old, far and wide, and all across the globe something as simple as a summer sweet can tie everything and everyone together. Summertime satisfaction indeed.

Kyle Brandon is a Staff Writer for the Freestyle Living Magazine. He is a Realtor in Central Ohio and can be reached through his website:

Kyle Brandon Realtor® (exprealty.com)

[email protected]