Often, when the nice weather comes round again and the days are longer and warmer, we have an idea in our heads of what our summer days will be like. Not rushing, not feeling stressed, not sweating buckets as we dash from one thing to the next, but sitting in the garden with a glass of lavender lemonade, listening to birds singing and children playing.
Unfortunately, reality is often not like this at all! In a society that does not acknowledge seasons or cycles other than as opportunities to squeeze more money out of people, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to us that things don’t change just because the weather is nicer!
Living a life that fully embraces seasons and cycles is not impossible, but it is difficult. But there are some ways in which we can slow down a bit in summer and make the most of this short season of only sometimes needing a coat.
Leave the Car and Walk
It wouldn’t be sensible to suggest that you leave the car behind every time! I have no plans to walk to King’s Lynn any time soon, not least because I would have an 11 year old relentlessly complaining!
But, all too often, we get used to jumping in the car and driving, even if it’s only a short distance.
There’s no doubt at all that cars make our lives easier. But when we are driving, we miss an awful lot. Not to mention the stress of having to deal with other drivers, and finding a place to park. And sometimes it’s not even that much quicker.
So sometimes taking a little bit of extra time and walking gives us a chance to slow down and notice what’s there.
Obviously, if it’s warm, you might need water, and if it’s very hot, it’s probably a better activity for the beginning or end of the day. A mac or an umbrella would also be wise!
If you have to carry things, a wheelie basket or a backpack will prevent sore arms.
If you really can’t leave the car behind, you could try parking a bit further away. My husband normally cycles to his job in King’s Lynn, but when he has to take the car, he parks it near the football ground and walks through the park and the pedestrian bit of town, which is quite nice. There might be something similar you could do, a park or a footpath, or a nice bit of town to walk through.
Go Somewhere Where There is Nature and Observe What You Can See, Hear and Smell
It’s so easy when we’re endlessly rushing about to miss what is right there in front of us. The seasons slip past without us really noticing, and before we know it, it’s Christmas again and we’re wondering where the year went!
Taking a few moments in nature to notice what is there is a wonderful way to slow down. It gives us a chance to observe the seasons and to be aware of what is going on around us. It doesn’t have to be far. Perhaps there’s somewhere near where you live. Where I am, there are muddy footpaths and open fields and quiet lanes. If you live somewhere busier, there might be a tree lined street, a park, a garden or even your own garden!
Think about what you can see, hear and smell. You might also like to think about how the place feels, and how it makes you feel. It doesn’t need to take hours. A few minutes will do.
Leave Your Phone Behind
Although technology is wonderful in lots of ways, our phones can be an endless source of distractions that take us away from real life with those around us.
Our phones mean that we are always contactable, whatever the day or time of day. Emails, social media notifications that may or may not be interesting, reminders from Duolingo, endless pointless messages about packages that might be delivered, or probably will be delivered, or will be delivered as long as you restrain your cats, or have been chucked over the garden fence. I also find myself unable to go for more than about 5 minutes without needing to Google something!
If you’re going out for a walk, or going to the lake for an hour a two, it might be an idea to leave your phone behind. It’s unlikely that anything bad will happen if you do, especially if you know that your loved ones are safe and well.
If you are unable to leave your phone at home, you could turn off all the notifications except ones you know people might use to get hold of you in an emergency. On my phone, the only things that get through are phone calls, text messages, direct messages from Facebook, and WhatsApp. I have all group chats muted, no notifications from social media or You Tube and I check emails 3 times a day. It’s still too much of a distraction sometimes, but it’s better than it was.
Grow Things
Plants, weeds, children all grow without us really noticing. One day, everything is tidy, the tomatoes are seedlings and our children are small. Then in what appears to be no time at all, the garden is a jungle and our children are taller than us!
Even though we might not notice, and often we can’t see even if we do try to notice, things are growing and changing every day. We have to be patient, because we can only see the growth over time. It’s a reminder to us that things happen slowly, but they still happen.
As it’s July now, it might be a bit late to grow things from seed, although salad leaves are probably still ok. But you could get some plants from a garden centre or nursery that have already been started off.
Pick Flowers From Your Garden and Arrange Them in a Vase
In the past, I’ve done the 30 Stem Challenge, but I only remember about it in the winter when there’s not much in the garden. I end up with an arrangement of some dead looking sticks and tough weeds that survive the never ending rain and cold!
It’s easy to buy a bunch of flowers from a supermarket, or if you’re lucky enough to live in a place that has them, a little flower shop. Somebody has already done the job of deciding which flowers will look nice together in a vase.
Picking flowers from your own garden is different. For one thing, it sets a limit. It also means noticing what is there. Even if your garden is tiny, and you’re not much of a gardener, there will probably be something you can pop in a vase. And there’s nothing like the feeling of seeing a vase full of flowers that you have grown yourself, even if some of them are weeds!
Make Salads in Advance and Put the Fridge
Having some salads and things in the fridge all ready to go frees up time elsewhere. It can mean that you have more time to slow down and enjoy the sunshine.
Eat Outside
Eating outside can be easier in some ways than eating inside. For one thing, you can worry less about crumbs and spillages!
As well as having less to do, it also gives us an opportunity to spend time outside, to enjoy the nice weather, hear the birds singing and be aware of summer plants and flowers.
Try to Let Go of Feeling Obliged to be Busy All the Time
This is tricky, because there are always lots of things that need doing. But it doesn’t help that the glorification of busy culture means that often, we want to be seen as being busy, because the alternative is that we are perceived as lazy. I also have a sneaky feeling that this might be worse for women than for men.
But we all need time to recharge. Being constantly on the go isn’t good for our health, which is one reason why it is important to slow down! Another good reason is that it is much easier for ideas and creativity to flow when we are happy and relaxed.
So it’s not just all the things we have to do that can get in the way of us slowing down, it’s the idea that we can’t rest, do things slowly or take time for ourselves.
We can cross things off the to do list, outsource them to somebody else or leave them for another time. But the hardest thing is letting go of the idea that we should always be doing something.
One way to get round this is by viewing going for a walk, reading or some other slow activity as doing actively something.
For example:
I am not doing nothing. I am taking a nap.
I am choosing to walk rather than take the car, because it is good for my mind and my body.
I am taking some time now to be fully present in nature so that I can be fully present in the rest of my life.
We get to decide what is important and what isn’t, and the things we choose to do still count as doing, even if it’s choosing to slow down a bit or stop for a few moments.
If You Wake Up Early, Take a Nap When You Can
Obviously if you work full time outside of the home, this might not go down too well! But if you have some flexibility, taking a nap might be an option.
It can be hard to sleep when the days are longer. For those of us who tend to be larks anyway, sleeping once the sun is up can be difficult.
I quite like getting up early. The house is quiet, and if I go out for a walk, it’s not too busy. If we’re having a hot spell weatherwise, it’s good to get out before it gets too hot.
On the downside, if you are up earlier than normal but you can’t get to sleep any earlier, it can leave you feeling tired and grotty later in the day. So rather than seeing it as an opportunity to get more done, you could aim to do the same as what you would usually do and adjust your sleep schedule to include a nap.
Have a Little Project to Take With You If Your Hands Need Something to Do
I know I’ve already said that we should try to let going of feeling that we have to be busy all the time, and now it seems that I’m saying the opposite!
I’m not, really. Some of us find it very difficult just to sit. So we can take time to slow down a bit and sit in the garden, or by a lake, and if we’ve got something for our hands to do, it makes it much easier to be present. If you are somebody who tends to have racing thoughts a lot of the time, and loud music playing inside your head, it can be a good way to soothe it.
Be Aware of Your Energy Levels
We often find that we have more energy in the summer than we do in winter, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not still going to get tired! So be aware of what’s going on, what is in your calendar, how much sleep you are getting and how much time you have for recharging.
There’s no need to go to everything. If you are feeling tired, then make your excuses and rest instead.
There’s no need to go miles away just because the weather is nice. It’s nice to do that sometimes, but there might also be good weather things to do a bit closer to home.
There’s also no need to be out for the whole day. If it’s got to the point where it is no longer fun because everybody’s tired, it’s fine to call it a day and go home, or go and do something else instead, perhaps involving ice cream!
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