It’s finally time. You can feel it and smell it in the warmer breezes. You can see it in the budding trees and the greener grass. You can even hear it being announced by various bird songs: After a long (and super fun!) winter, we are moving through a hesitant spring, and summer is clearly on its way.
The pull of change that seasonal living affords us is cyclical, reliable, and has the potential to be both energizing and angst-inducing. If you work in an industry that is driven by the seasonal changes of a mountain valley, then you may find yourself facing an actual off-season and your speed of life may begin to slow down. If you work in an industry that is not driven by these seasonal changes, then it’s very possible that you may find yourself gritting your teeth, taking some slow breaths, and digging a little deeper to find those extra reserves of motivation that are necessary to keep charging ahead when you observe others shifting into their off-season pace.
Regardless of your job, your lifestyle, or where you live, one thing is clear: If you’re looking to regain departed shreds of your sanity during a seasonal shift, then you will have to provide yourself with some opportunities to slow down, to pause, to shift your awareness away from external stimuli, and to check back in with your internal landscape.
You’re going to have to disconnect to reconnect.
These aforementioned moments of pause can come from countless sources. Friends, family, nature, hobbies, music, and sports can all offer varying degrees of escape from the daily demands of our lives. Need to calm those lists that are flying around in your head? Find a new (or a favorite!) yoga class. Need to vent? Grab a friend and go for a hike. Need to release some energy and try on a new perspective? Book yourself a spot or two on a rafting adventure and become part of a new and focused team for an afternoon. There’s nothing like a little fresh air and happiness-boosting endorphins to clear out the brain fog that can accompany seasonal shifts.
As you navigate your daily life through this springtime and into summer, try to build these choices into your schedule. They don’t have to be huge day-long events – they don’t even require a beautiful landscape right outside of your door. Even just putting aside your computer and your cell phone, closing your eyes, giving yourself 10 to 20 long slow inhales and exhales, will create a nice little reset for your mind and re-energize your motivation for what lies ahead.
By embracing the changing of seasons and all of the hectic swirliness that comes with the change, we can remember to intentionally disconnect from our to-do lists once in a while so that we can reconnect with what sparks us to live our best lives.
Kristina Weller