How to make the most of the last weeks of summer
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Here we are, on the other side of the mid-summer shift from July to August.
I hope you have had time to slow down and enjoy the season. I look forward to spending a few special days away at the end of this week, to celebrate my anniversary. :-)
Some of us unplug with ease and are able to be fully present when we are at the beach, visiting an exciting new place, at home on a staycation, or any other adventure. Sometimes a single day is available and that can be magical.
Others of us — and I admit to being prone to this myself — can find it challenging to really disconnect. Even if we resist the beckoning of technology, our distracted thoughts can keep us from savoring the time and space available to relax.
Two mid-summer possibilities and opportunities
1. Appreciate the rich benefits of down time.
There is no question that slowing down, taking a break from the usual routine and intensity of work, and allowing ourselves to be fully present and have fun is good for us.
We are not machines! We need physical rest, and our spirits need to be nurtured.
Research has shown that those who take vacations have lower levels of stress (helping both physical and mental wellbeing), have less risk of heart disease, have a more positive outlook, and are more motivated to achieve. Even planning a vacation has health benefits!
So make the most of whatever summer affords you in terms of time to rest and relax and enjoy.
2. Use this time to dream.
Something amazing can happen when we feel free and allow ourselves to imagine in a playful way.
When you are not hyper-focused on doing — which frequently involves responsibilities related to both personal and work matters — your brain operates differently.
Allowing time to daydream, to explore your thoughts in a journal, or listen to music without multitasking, or sit in a cafe and share personal thoughts with a close friend, you will be amazed at what might pop up.
When our logical, data-focused left brain is quieted, the imaginative right hemisphere takes the lead. We connect more deeply to our intuition. New ideas show up and new possibilities come to mind.
Try prompting yourself with questions like these, to find meaningful gems of insight:
What makes me feel happy?
What do I truly yearn for?
What do I want more of in my life?
(If you know how to use my Discovery Dozen™ — found in my book — by all means use that tool to quickly bring your insights to light!)
It’s important to observe the dreams and desires that showed up for you without judgement, without guilt, and without doubts.
These are important, precious messages from your heart, even if some of them seem surprising or out of reach.
They can be your compass for the future.
Make the most of your insights
By slowing down and relaxing, and choosing to explore your dreams, you will finish the summer with two great gifts — a restored spirit and terrific clarity.
And, you will be beautifully positioned to make the most of the months ahead.
Rather than living on auto-pilot, you can start to consider how you want to create the life you envisioned.
I am not suggesting you make a to-do list of things that feels pressured.
I invite you to begin thinking of small steps you can start to take to make the desires you brought to light tangible.
Summer will soon transition to fall
The coming weeks are ripe with possibility for relaxed play and all sorts of pleasure.
And they are also ripe with possibility for making the coming season — and the next year, and beyond — the most satisfying of your life.
I invite you to consider having a guide to help you turn the dreams in your heart into a reality, one sure step at a time.
As I shared with you last week, my signature program, Live Big Live! is starting soon, and culminates in a fall retreat.
It may be a perfect fit for you to begin creating the life you deeply desire.
Traveling with a GPS that is pointed to a great destination, with loving guidance to support each step of the journey, has been life-changing for the women who have experienced the program.
Let's talk about what you yearn for.
On a call, we can both see if this program is a fit for you.
It would be my pleasure to talk with you no matter the outcome. (There's no cost or obligation for us to have a call.)
