LYDIA:

How is summer going for you? Are you finding it a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the year, or like many of us, are you finding that it is even busier? Yes, most likely busier with fun, outdoor activities and family time, but still busier.

I know for me, this summer has felt incredibly busy. With the warmer months comes golfing with the hubby, lawn care, hikes in the state park (not nearly as many of these as I’d like, though!), and extra work. 

Here are my takeaways from this uptick in work commitments, physical activity, friend and family commitments, and lawn care this season:

• My journey with long covid continues…I can definitely still overdo it and end up with intense fatigue, muscle weakness, brain fog, a shaky nervous system, and difficulty speaking.
  • I can golf today…but will need to say no to golfing tomorrow; if I do a lot of yard work today, I can’t do another strenuous activity tomorrow. I have to find a balance.
  • Hiring a local kid to mow my lawn means I can spend time doing things that I find more fun, as mowing my own lawn would wipe me out and mean lower physical activity for the next three (yes, 3!) days.
• I am still being asked by my body and my soul to SLOW DOWN, LISTEN, and REST. 

Just because we are in a season and cycle of intense growth (just look at the grass and your garden!), doesn’t mean we don’t still need rest. I am learning how to move with the seasons and cycles of the Earth as well as my own. And just because we’re enjoying longer days, warmer weather, and more time doing the “fun stuff” outdoors, doesn’t mean we don’t still need time to ourselves to be in silence, stillness, and meditation.

I tend to move more of my meditation time outdoors in the summer months, because I can. But I still take time every day to sit in stillness, silence, and presence with myself and God/Universe. And I still have to say “no” to different things, whether they be a work thing or a fun thing, when I look at my schedule and notice that I have too many days that week that are go-go-go. 

I hope that you are able to also take time out of your day, every day, for YOU. Yes, getting to know yourself can be uncomfortable sometimes (we never like EVERYthing we see when we look deeply into ourselves), but I promise you, the pay-off is MORE than worth it. It is actual, absolute freedom that you won’t get from anything else external to you. 

BOBBI:

I loved summer as a kid; I would quite literally be gone sun-up to sun-down… riding bikes with friends, hanging out at the pool, just being outside.  Then I got older and the good ‘ole summer breaks were no more. Somehow, I loathed summer for the longest time – the humidity was uncomfortable and not great for my naturally curly hair. And bugs. I HATE bugs. But an awesome change has been happening: these past couple of summers here in Minnesota have been my favorite in a long time. My husband and I have rediscovered our love for being outside and in nature: unplugging from our phones while camping and grounding into Mother Earth, resetting our nervous systems. I’m slowly falling back in love with summer. 

And also, living in MinneSNOWta, summer is a hot commodity – hahahaha… I got jokes! But with that comes a little bit of pressure… to DO the things we cannot do during the cold winters we generally get here. So I try to do all the things and then I’m on my ass after I’ve used up all of my spoons and part of tomorrow’s spoons too. (Quick, Google search “the spoon theory” metaphor.) 

Finding the balance between “I gotta do things while I can” and “I need daily quiet time for myself, no matter the season” isn’t always easy. If I’ve tried to fit in a little yard work with the hubby (I don’t mow the lawn, ok; but I do help with other stuff!), walks with the dog, and maybe a trip to the water somewhere or a full day w/ friends… that’s a busy weekend. Taking the quiet time for myself might seem like a logical step, yeah? But sometimes, it can feel like another “thing” on my to do list, which can take up mental room in my head. Taking a page from Lydia’s book (see above), I like to look at my week or weekend as a whole and determine if I’ve got too much shoved into that time frame.

REST. In this current season of life, being absolutely still physically hurts my body (probably due to inflammation – I’m working on it). I’ve had to reevaluate what rest looks like for me right now; I’ve discovered “moving meditation” is where it’s at for me right now. After doing yoga, I feel like I’ve meditated. I can find this similar feeling through a walk in nature or a flowy dance in my living room. I’m able to get into a meditative state as I gently move my body. Will I continue to try for stillness one day? Absolutely; but that is something I’ll work towards as I can.

I feel a bit rambly tonight, so my takeaway: love summer, do the things but maybe not all of them at once, get out of the humidity if you’ve got curly hair, and fit in a type of rest that gives you a reprieve from the busyness of the season. Happy Summer!