Love lessons from the Summer.
A seasonal guide for Reflection and Renewal.
My awe and gratitude practice these days happens on my porch swing. Watching the hummingbirds zoom by before their seasonal departure. The light is starting to change and soon I know it is time for them to go. I will miss them deeply. Their sweet cheery cheep I can hear from my bedroom window before my eyes even open. Their curious and playful nature as they move from flower to feeder. I am in love with their magic.
Each season carries its own vibe. The days and months each seem to capture a flair for a certain kind of inspiration. This is what becomes our rhythm. While fall may bring a crisp sense of rejuvenation - it's crucial to pause and reflect on the summer months that shaped us.
Perhaps we are forever conditioned to the giddy start of the school year in the fall. We are eager, much like in the new year, to refresh our routine with a surge of creative energy. However, before we rush into the future with a new set of goals, there are some essential steps we must not overlook in preparation of all that is to come.
Reflect, Review, and Renew: Your Roadmap for a Successful Transition.
Reflect:
Connecting with Your Inner Self: In the midst of our busy lives, it's easy to overlook the importance of tuning into our inner guide. We often get caught up in the hustle and bustle, while striving for external accomplishments. However, life is profound in the present moment. It's all about becoming the witness to what in us most needs to be seen and heard.
Recognizing and Overcoming Patterns: The first step in transformation is to identify what you're ready to change. Take a moment to notice if you're stuck on repeat. You aren’t required to keep doing the same thing again and again. Pull away from the most habitual behaviors and allow something fresh to settle in. What are you ready to release?
Review:
Celebrate Your Wins: In the rush of daily life, we often forget to acknowledge our accomplishments. We become numb to our achievements, hardly taking a moment to pause and recognize our successes. Before moving forward, take time to claim what you're most proud of as a source of motivation and positivity as you transition into a new season. Big or small, your wins deserve recognition.
Learning from Setbacks : If you fell short of your goals, don't consider it a failure. Instead, view it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Identify the obstacles that hindered your progress and extract valuable lessons from them. When you recognize behavioral patterns that may be holding you back, remember that every gap between where you are and where you want to be simply signifies room for growth.
Renew:
Cultivate Trust and Patience: Allow and accept that where you are right now is exactly where you need to be. Soak in the lessons meant for you. Invite something fresh into your life. Be patient and know that important things take time. What do you want to bring forth with ease and grace? Don’t rush. Don’t Push. Be.
Establishing Healthy Habits: Studies have shown that it takes an average of 66 days to establish a habit. When done with awareness, a habit transforms into a ritual—a primal act of self-love. It's time to show up for yourself, just as you do for others. Use this transition between seasons to build habits that support your goals. Print out a habit tracker and hold yourself accountable. Journal, take a walk every day, set some time aside for meditation. Spend a few minutes each day nurturing your overall well-being with these daily rituals.
Sync with the new season: From Reflection to Renewal
As the summer season transitions into fall, shed the weight of what you no longer need and hold space for what is essential. Take this time for review and reflection, and you'll be better equipped to welcome the exciting potential that autumn has to offer. By reviewing and reflecting, you gather valuable information that can guide you in making positive changes. It's an opportunity to balance aspects of your lifestyle that may be draining your vitality.
Are there any areas in your life that need modification? Are you feeling like you're spinning your wheels, repeating the same routines without progress?
Honor the summer with its loves and lessons. Lastly, take a pause and get to know your awe. When can you let the magic in? Bask, listen, and attune. Let these moments be your medicine. Then move forward with with clarity, purpose, and gratitude. Sync with a new season to tap into your innate rhythm and timing. This practice of reflection inspires your fire, nourishes your earthen roots and grounds your airy motility.
