Summer is here! Restrictions have been eased, and we are all scrambling to figure out how to savour our newfound freedoms best. While also balancing our work, budget, schedules, and wellbeing. With current Covid-19 restrictions in place this year, we will be reimagining summer in an entirely new way. What if we took this chance to create a meaningful epic summer adventure? As a life coach, I believe that we can discover joy in the intentional and pursuit of finding purpose in life. Here is the path to cultivating a more vibrant and meaningful summer in three small steps.
Step 1- Discover your core values:
Our values are qualities we want to express in our life. These qualities guide our behaviours, actions and influence our decisions. They give us a sense of purpose, fulfilment and self-worth. They can help us uncover what is important to us and what we want more of in life. They are a trusted guide that keeps us on our path and assists us in choosing actions that are aligned with what we truly want.
Questions to help us discover our core values that can influence how we create a meaningful summer:
How do I want to treat myself, others and the World around me?
What experiences would I like to have?
What would I like to achieve?
What would I like to start or do more of?
What relationships would I like to improve?
What places would I like to visit?
Over the summer break, how would you like to treat yourself? Would you like to live out your value of achievement by finishing off that online course you bought ages ago but never got around to finishing? Perhaps in service of being a loving parent, you are going to spend more quality time doing fun activities with your children.
Take a moment to write down the qualities you would like to display and brainstorm ways to put them into action over the coming months ahead.
Step 2- Increase nourishing activities:
When we feel burnout or are down, we tend to neglect the life-enhancing activities that energise us and give us joy. Engaging in nourishing activities can lift our mood, increase our energy and help us to feel centred and calm.
So, take a moment to reflect on what activities boost your mood, and if you are unsure, here is a list of some to get you started:
Calling a friend
Going for a walk in nature
Playing a board game with family
Listening to your favourite songs
Going sea-swimming
Gardening
Working on a puzzle
Going to a dance class
Reading a new book
Watching a movie with a loved one
Increasing pleasurable activities along with exercising regularly can have a profound impact on your mood. When we do the things that matter to us, we feel less drained and more motivated to do more. Carve out time to do one pleasurable activity a day, and over time you will see a shift in your mood and levels of fulfilment.
Step 3- Savour when life gives you what you want:
Savouring is appreciating and enhancing positive experiences that occur in one’s life. Most of our days, we are stuck on auto-pilot with a lot of our experiences passing us by. Savouring is about becoming aware of the experience of pleasure and appreciating the delight we derived from that experience. To savour an experience, one must possess and apply a certain degree of mindfulness and meta-awareness.
Ways we can savour:
Savouring the present: If we are going out to do a life-enhancing activity such as sea-swimming, to set an intention that we will do the activity mindfully. And take a moment to be fully immersed and engaged whilst in the water.
Savouring with the senses: If you create a delicious meal to do it as an act of self-care. Then sit down and draw your attention to the smells and flavours associated with each bite!
At the end of each day, take a moment to reminisce on the fun or meaningful moments of the past 24 hours. Sit down and play them back over in your mind until you feel a sense of elation.
Savouring the future, also known as anticipation. For example, visualising the trip you have planned with your partner for next month or activities you are looking forward to doing once restrictions are fully lifted, such as going to a concert. Sit and imagine all the things you are looking forward to doing again!
By going through the above three steps, we will shift our perspectives towards the meaningful aspects of our lives and have a clear road map for engaging with them.
Wishing everyone a joyous and magical summer!
Peace and best wishes,
Keelin