The official kickoff to the summer is the summer solstice which is Sunday, June 20th. The summer solstice occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its greatest tilt toward the Sun. Summertime includes a myriad of activities from cook-outs to beach trips to vacations trips and more. Summer in the U.S. this year coincides with more businesses opening up, more event happenings and our social calendars filling up. With the onslaught of activities, it is essential to create awareness around when your body and mind may need some calm and ease.
Do you know what helps you feel calm? Or more at ease? Pause and reflect on what works for you. Consider one of these ways to help you feel calm during your summer activity.
Slow Down
Plan extra time to get ready for an activity and time to get to it. This will invite a sense of ease and relaxation into your day.
Don’t Overschedule
It can be enticing to say yes to everything. Living a life with balance requires healthy boundaries. Healthy boundaries are ensuring you schedule downtime for yourself. This might look like having extra time in between activities or scheduling a calm night or day into your week. The biggest obstacle to not overscheduling is the inability to say no. We may feel obligated to go to an activity for numerous reasons. Regardless of the reason, give yourself permission to say no. Prioritize yourself over anything or anyone else. When you feel your best, it will be felt by others around you – including your kids, relatives, friends and colleagues.
Breathe
Of course, we are breathing all the time but we are not always aware of our breath. Make it a habit to pause and witness your breath each day. The best way to make anything a habit is to do it at the same time each day. When is your breath awareness moment? Practicing to be aware of our breath makes it easier to remember to tune into the breath when you are at an activity or in between.
Tune-In
What is your body telling you? How are you feeling mentally? Remember to check in with yourself and see how you are feeling. Our bodies get run down and our minds may feel overwhelmed or scrambled when we keep moving. Listen to what your body and mind are telling you. If you need to cancel or go late, that’s okay. Give yourself permission to do what your mind and body is telling you. When we tune into the body and mind, we are practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is paying close attention to our thoughts, feelings, and sensations of the body. This practice helps us develop greater awareness of what is going internally and externally, fostering enhanced wellbeing.
Meditate
When I have a day full of activities, I can feel it in my mind and body. My body gives me a signal, “pause”. I set the timer on my phone. I sit quietly on my sofa with my back straight. I focus my mind on my breath; how it feels, how it sounds, how it moves. When I notice my mind lost in thought, I come back to my breath. This is my go-to meditation during the day.
Want a simple meditation? Try the five-breath meditation. Count five full breaths, the inhale and exhale count as one breath. Count the breaths on one hand. You can do this on your own or with your child or friend.
New to meditation or needing a restart? Join the Midweek Meditation on Wednesdays. A 15-minute meditation. Call in, listen and breathe. It’s that simple. Learn more.
For other tools and tips on living with ease this summer, sign up for the upcoming free workshop: Traversing the New Normal.
Photo Credit: Ravi Pinisetti