Our batteries are solar-powered

My husband said something that got me thinking. We were heading to a family barbeque and I was remarking on the heat and how we'd have to look for ways to keep cool. (I've had heat exhaustion several times in the past, so I am mindful of planning for how to keep cool.) He said "I love the heat. Days like this, where no matter how you dress, you're going to be nice and hot, these are the days I think about in the dead of winter." His heat-loving constitution aside, that perspective got me realizing how important summer is for recharging my batteries.

Sure - in the midst of all the summer plans - barbeques, bike rides, swimming, nights on a patio - I fall exhausted into my bed. Or rise lazily and have a slow start to reboot after several days in a row of socializing. But that exhaustion is on a micro scale. On the macro scale, this time of year is when I get the most social connection and the most time outdoors and the most good food. Summer barbeques, for me, give me all the joys of a holiday feast, with less prep and cleanup and formality. It's easier to be spontaneous and extend a day in the park into an evening on a patio. All of this connection and unstructured time are what keep me going when I hit those winter doldrums, missing the sunshine and wishing time outside didn't involve putting on multiple layers to keep the chill out.

It's like I'm run on a solar-powered battery. I am charging up that battery right now, setting aside some of the energy for long-term use in January, February, and March.

On the work front, summer brings a need for flexibility and ease. With many people taking vacation or adjusting their routines to adapt to different summer camp pickups and drop-offs, there can be softer edges to projects and daily tasks. The need to adjust or wait can be frustrating when you just want to get things done. Or you might feel unsettled by having your routines disrupted and needing to pour energy into making new ones.

What I'd offer, is to consider whether you have a solar-powered battery, like me. What does summer give you that you don't necessarily get, or get less of, at other times of year? What can you focus on capturing during these few months to store up for the long winter ahead? And how can you mindfully embrace these gains, without forcing it?

If you are unsettled by disrupted routines, what can you embrace to ease that stress? Dropping everything to go for a quick walk to relieve that stress can be as simple as putting on shoes and a hat. This doesn't solve the source of the problem, but makes it easier to practice self-care to deal with the impact.

If you are dealing with softer deadlines, how can you lean into that ease and practice creating helpful boundaries that can serve you in other seasons? For example, how can you lean into the space (i.e. delay) that another person's vacation creates to allow you to truly shut off when your work day is done? What will thinking back to this time of ease bring you when you have to set boundaries during busy times in fall or winter?

What ways do you recharge your battery in the summer? Are there habits that you practice during this season that can sustain you in busier times? Or, if summer is your busy season, what lessons have you learned from less busy times that can help sustain you?

Making mindful adjustments to how you work and care for yourself during different seasons is something we can explore through coaching. If you want a partner to help you recognize and adapt to the highs and lows, book a Discovery Call to discuss how we can work together.