Schizophrenic Summer
Reflections on Change, Choice, and Riding Life’s Waves
This summer has felt like a throwback—what I’d call an old-fashioned summer. I spent two solid months in Massachusetts, near where I grew up, soaking up the slow rhythm of long days, reconnecting with family and friends, and settling into that nostalgic summertime energy. I had a quick return home to Florida in between, just long enough to check in on my parents and reset before heading back north.
Later in the summer, I returned to Florida again—this time with my sister and sister-in-law—to celebrate my mom’s 97th birthday. During one of our conversations, we started talking about the wild, unpredictable weather we’d had up north. One day was “Florida hot,” the next, “New England cool.” Without thinking, I blurted out: “It’s been a schizophrenic summer.” We all laughed. And I immediately said, “That’s going to be the title of my next blog post.”
It was meant as a lighthearted comment about the weather, but the more I sat with it, the more I realized how well it captured the season—not just the climate, but the internal landscape I’ve been navigating.
There’s a kind of disorientation that comes with so much shifting—hot to cold, fast to slow, grounded to floating. And that’s exactly how this summer, and honestly, this season of life, has felt.
As I reflected, I found myself thinking about the forks in the road that brought me here. The kinds of decisions that don’t always feel pivotal at the time, but when you look back, you realize how much they changed the shape of your life.
As I reflected, I found myself thinking about the forks in the road that brought me here. The kinds of decisions that don’t always feel pivotal at the time, but when you look back, you realize how much they changed the shape of your life.
Two turning points stand out for me. The first was in my late 20s, when everything in my life had unraveled. I started my own business—a leap into the unknown during a time of personal collapse. The second came in my late 40s, when I left the business world and became a school counselor.
Looking back, I can see that both roles—entrepreneur and counselor—held a common thread: transition. In real estate, I supported empty nesters navigating the emotional and logistical move into a new chapter. As a school counselor, I walked alongside young people standing at the edge of adulthood, searching for identity and belonging.
One group was focused on the outer world—moving houses, retiring, redefining roles. The other was immersed in the inner world—trying to figure out who they are and where they’re headed. And now, as a coach, I find myself bridging both of those spaces: helping adults and kids alike navigate the messiness of change and the complexity of becoming.
So maybe this “schizophrenic summer” is a fitting metaphor after all. Not just for unpredictable weather, but for how disorienting it can feel when you’re in the midst of transition—when nothing quite settles and you're toggling between extremes.
Our son is a surfer, snowboarder, and all-around outdoorsman. He’s tuned into the weather because it determines whether the conditions are right for what he loves. I think about how, for young people especially, life can feel like being caught underwater—overwhelmed, disoriented, unsure which way is up.
As adults, we (hopefully) learn how to ride the waves. That doesn’t mean we don’t wipe out—it just means we’ve been through it enough to know the ocean will calm, that another wave will come, that we’ll find our footing again.
As adults, we (hopefully) learn how to ride the waves. That doesn’t mean we don’t wipe out—it just means we’ve been through it enough to know the ocean will calm, that another wave will come, that we’ll find our footing again.
Whether helping a young person learn how to swim in uncertain waters or navigating our own storms, it all requires patience, perspective, and trust. So maybe this summer of constant shifts—of pace, of responsibility, of rhythm—was the reminder I needed that change isn’t to fix or resist. It’s something to ride. If you find yourself in a season of constant shifting and could use support in riding the waves instead of resisting them, let’s connect!
Reflection: Identify a turning point in your life—a moment when you stood at a crossroads. What led you there? Why did you choose the path you did? And how has that decision shaped the course of your life today?
Action Step: Choose one area of your life where change may be on the horizon. Instead of rushing to fix or figure it out, simply pause and name what’s shifting. Give yourself space to acknowledge it before acting. Awareness often opens the door to clarity.
Tool: Try this - Grab a piece of paper or your journal and draw a small circle in the center to represent yourself. Around it, jot the rhythms or responsibilities in your life that are shifting—work, relationships, routines, emotions. Pick one that feels most present right now. Ask yourself: what is this area calling me to notice or explore? Then take one small step—write a thought, make a call, or pause to reflect. One mindful step at a time, you can move with the changes instead of trying to fix them.