Hello, summer!
Summer solstice came and went quickly for me this year. I usually plan some type of celebration to welcome in the summer season, but this year’s longest day snuck by without any festivities.
How do you welcome in the summer season? Does it relate to gardening, eating healthy, swapping out clothing, planning vacations, being outside or spending quality time with your school-aged children or grandchildren?
This recent Blue Zone article caught my attention with ideas for making healthy changes this summer.
However you shift into the summer season, being mindful about the change and how you handle the transition is worth considering.
Many of my clients seek support around changes that have caught up with them or changes they’ve been avoiding or changes they didn’t see happening. Very often, transitions occur and somewhere along the line we find ourselves saying, “Boy, time flies,” or “How did I get here?” or “When did this happen?” Changes can be insignificant, like seasonal changes, or they can be major changes like death, divorce, retirement, career changes, aging, etc.
One of the ways I help clients understand change is by educating them about the change cycle. Each stage is similar to a season, with different tools to help you move from one stage to the next. People who understand the change cycle cope better with change and adapt more effectively than those who don’t understand the cycle. The biggest problem most people encounter as their lives are changing is that change has different phases (or seasons), and each phase requires different skills and strategies. Just like we prepare differently for each seasonal change, you can do the same with transitions.
Is there is a particular area in your life that is in transition or catching your attention? Complete the following statements:
I feel I was always meant to do (or be) …
If I didn’t care what people thought, I would …
If I were sure I’d succeed, I would …
If I had the freedom, I would …
One small thing I could do today to get me closer to my goal is …
Be honest, be confident and don’t overthink it. See what thoughts come up for you, and consider what changes are quietly angling for your attention.