4 Ways To Really Recover This Summer

How do you make the best of summer and ensure that it is a real time of reconnection and filling yourself up?  I was talking with my mum today about how we were having to be more creative about how we recharge and stay safe. A lot of the things we took for granted are not as straightforward at the moment.  So we are finding new ways to nurture ourselves.  

What are you doing to renew and reconnect?  What new things are sustaining you and what are you letting go of?  

Enjoy the ideas in this blog series over the next few weeks.  Here is the first in the series.  An oldie but a goodie on 4 ways to recover this summer...  

1.  Give yourself permission to play:    Play reconnects you to yourself and to what is good for you.  So follow the call to play.    

We know that positive emotions direct us back to what we need to flourish.  That includes play.    

In summer and during the holidays we seem to give ourselves more permission for pleasure and just following our flow.  So follow that playful inner child side to where it wants to go.  

2.  Consciously recover:

Play is one of 4 ‘renewal states’.  These so called states (think emotions and how you feel) help you truly recover from stress.  The other 3 are compassion, mindfulness and hope.  

It is not just about being on holiday that counts, but how you feel whilst on it.  And specifically nurturing those 3 states.

So make the time for that meditation, yoga practice or that swim.  Or if that is not your thing…then just stare at the beautiful view, daydream and feel the sun and gentle breeze on your skin.  Notice how your feet feel in the sand, the colour of that flower or the pleasure of listening to your favourite piece of music.  

And be kind to yourself.  Literally send love to the parts of you that need it.  Don't push, soften, be tender and allow gentleness back into your life.

 3.  Journal every day: 

Journalling means just writing your thoughts down.  One way of doing that is to set a timer for 15-20mins and write down whatever comes through your mind.  

It is not about analysing it or even rereading it.  It is about connecting to where you are really at and what is really going on for you.  It is also about cleaning things out - emotionally speaking.  

I like to see journalling as an emotional washing machine.  By writing your emotions down, you hear them, feel them and bring them up to the surface for resolution.   Once their message has been heard they can be on their way.

 4.  Let yourself daydream:

I think that daydreaming got a really bad press at school.  The thing is that it is very much connected to hope.  And hope is one of the renewal states. Notice I didn't say worry by the way... daydreaming is about connecting to your real desires... to what is calling you now...

I have a quote above my desk that says ‘If you want to know where your heart is, look where your mind goes when it wanders’.  That means actually letting your mind go.  And catching up with your own heart that knows what you love and is true for you.

So make time that is not looking at your phone, reading, chatting or organising something.  

Listen to those silent whispers of the heart that we tend to keep shut up the rest of the year.  And ask it what it wants now.

Until Next Time,

Louise