What is your perfect summer day?
How do you balance work and play?
The last day of school came and went by quickly and here in this moment is a huge opportunity to rethink my own daily routines as the structures of the school year has come to a halt. In the summer, the road ahead is wide open which is both a beautiful thing and can feel like a bit of a strain to continue plugging along in year-round routines.
I am curious to know--how does Summer in all her warmth and beauty call us all forth to reclaim time for ourselves?
Yes, the last day of school for the kids loomed large on my calendar for weeks prior to the final day, calling forth the ambivalence I feel about the season of no-school summer. On one hand, I’m thrilled for sunny family adventures outdoors, and on the other hand, a bit uneasy about how much time I will have to split between my commitments in various roles as mother, business owner, wife, dog mama, etc.—and not least important is my responsibility to take care of ME, and all that that entails.
As moms— as women—we are makers and doers. We make things happen. From planning play dates, to buying birthday presents, to booking the dog’s grooming appointment, to squeezing in a workout, to trip planning, to bill paying, grocery shopping, etc.—you get the point.
What’s often not on that laundry list of to-dos (oh, yeah add laundry too!) is the essential—no, CRITICAL!—me time for self-care and self-development.
What if you looked at summertime anew? To see summertime as a blank whiteboard and you, my friend, have been gifted a new pack of dry erase markers with which to write your fresh intentions for the season.
What are your intentions as you cross the threshold into this new season?
Intention is a choice of being in the world that guides your actions in the present moment to be in alignment with your values. In contrast to a goal that is outcome oriented and focused on the future, intentions support your experience of being alive and fully present.
"Being intentional allows you to focus on how you want to be in the moment, independent of whether you are winning or losing. Allowing intentions to guide your moment to moment focus, means you are living your values and what matters most to you." -- David Emerald, The Power of TED
Consider these simple tips to reconnect to YOU:
Hold space on your calendar entirely for you! Create a block of time just for you to use in service of giving yourself exactly what you need in that moment. It is a way for you to create boundaries to think, be creative, meditate, do what calls you to you in the moment.
Create a morning ritual you love. Be awake before the household to claim space for yourself in your home for stillness to be consciously reflective and intentional or out in fresh air before the neighbors stir. Make it feel luxurious and nourishing. You so deserve it.
Don't know what you need? Listen. Connect in before turning your energy outward. A practice of reflection is key. Whether done walking the dog or journaling, notice what works for you to tap into your creative, deeper self. Hear the messages offered here; this is where your intuition lives.
The irony here is that we know summer as the wide-open season of no school, vacation time and long days with bright nights. Yet we yearn for routine and healthy boundaries around our time to be sure we get it. We attempt to recreate the structure of the school schedule with camps and playdates only to ensure we have space to for ourselves.
This is precious time! How are you using it to set intentions that fill your heart and fan your passion, to re-energize, to be present and engaged?
Check in with yourself now.
What are you aware of feeling when you think of your child's last day of school in a week? Is there anxiety here? What are you noticing in your body?
You don't have kids, but you are busy! What does summer mean for you? What feeling come up?
Now shift your thinking to focus on setting an intention.
What is one word or phrase to express your intention for this summer? Write it down and post it somewhere you see every day.
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