Give Yourself Permission To Savor the End of Summer
Welcome to August! It’s always a little shocking how fast the summer months go (when I was a kid the summer lasted forever!). When August starts, I notice I feel a little sad because I know we only have one month left of this beautiful season until next year.
So maybe you’ve been non stop, habitually on the go, or maybe you’ve been making plans with urgency as life has been “returning to normal”. We want summer to last forever but perhaps the push to get it ALL in is one of the reasons it always goes by so quickly.
If there was ever a time to give yourself permission to rest and relax when it was most “socially acceptable” in this productivity-obsessed society, it’s NOW.
I’ve encountered my fair share of people (professionally and personally) who have an unhealthy attachment to work and busyness and a fear of rest and enjoyment. And with so many working remotely now, we can even take work with us on vacation. It’s common to carry shame and long-held beliefs about what rest means. “I can’t take a break” stems from a toxic collective belief that equates productivity with self worth. Work can be a healthy source of feeling good about one’s self, but when it becomes the only source of our self worth, it becomes problematic.
Our human bodies need rest periods to recalibrate and recharge. There are unmet needs in our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual selves that we often only become aware of in the resting seasons of our lives.
So here’s the invitation; attune yourself to the end of summer vibe and make a choice right now to pause more, breathe more, rest more and above all have more fun!
It doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are my favorite ways for making the end of summer extra special:
1. Watch a sunrise
2. Watch a sunset
3. Wake up for an early morning walk
4. Dine al fresco
5. Shop the Farmer’s Market
6. Enjoy an after dinner stroll
7. Go camping
8. Go hiking
9. Get in or on the water
10. Gaze at the stars
11.Watch the fireflies
12. Unplug and connect with friends in person
13. Plan a special getaway
14. See a summer blockbuster in a real movie theatre
15. Drink fruity smoothies
