“The Opening” by Gaelle Chassery
I don’t know about you, but for me Summer can be quite stressful. The increased energy and activity that I see in people around me does not match my limited capacities, while the increased daylight hours make me feel I should be doing so much more than I can possibly achieve. And yet, the world will not collapse if we relax the pressure to "make the most of the season because it will be over soon." In this post I want to share five ways to slow down and allow ourselves to take it at our own pace this Summer while completely embracing the season.
Five Ways to Slow Down
Giving myself permission to slow down in my special handmade throw.
First, let's give ourselves permission. It's ok to slow down; it's ok to stay in; it's even ok to do non-summery activities. It's ok to prefer the Winter and look forward to it. I personally love rainy, grey, drizzly Summer days and feel very soothed by them. But I also enjoy the warm sun and I love finding ways to fully embrace sunny days and still not burn out. Let's see how...
Finding our Own Pace
My happy place & pace: crocheting in bed.
My own pace looks like sitting down to paint while listening to an audiobook, or sitting in bed to crochet while watching relaxing tv series or documentaries. If I am well enough and the weather is good, I take these activities out into the garden. In general, having some time alone is very beneficial for me and allows me to process my experience and environment by calming the overwhelm, supporting me to gain clarity and focus and giving me the space to absorb what I need to hear and understand. In turn, that allows me to create quite steadily and do what I need to do in time. Take the time to explore what supports you in finding your own pace.
Reconnecting to Nature
I always enjoy being in the presence of plants and flowers.
If there is a lot of noise in our head or our environment, we can forget that nature is always out there, quiet, soothing, refreshing and inspiring. If you can get away from the noise for a while and just be, just breathe in the beautiful breeze and enjoy the long grass, the wild flowers and the animals, that is a superb way to slow down and create beautiful imagery that you can replay to yourself later on. Often, going out is not possible, so I give some attention to my lovely plants.
Gently Gardening
Making the most of sunny days means enjoying these little beauties.
I love quiet and gentle gardening. A great thing in the Summer is that you get to harvest what you have grown. Gathering a bunch of flowers, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and then finding or inventing creative recipes to use them is such a great way to get quality time, whether alone or with friends and family. Coping with a glut can bring great inventiness and focus in the kitchen and you can spread the joy by sharing the crops or invite people to help you harvest. If you don’t have your own garden, you might be able to get access to an allotment, and there are also many “pick-your-own” schemes nowadays where you get to enjoy a day out in fields and fruit orchards. This is something I would love to do when my health improves.
Creating Something—Anything
Quietly stitching with no agenda, keeping things simple...a great way to slow down.
I am so touched by the marvel that creativity is in my life: it keeps me sane and gives me a purpose which never ceases to amaze me. In the few minutes it takes me to focus on a creative project and get immersed into it, I can feel my whole body relaxing, my mind quiets down and gets into an alternative mode of being where things are just easier, more soothing and manageable. I recently discovered that embroidery and stitching are very relaxing for me. Because I am learning, the focus required to create new stitches and understand how they work offers a very potent way to slow down. What absorbs and resets you?
Taking Care of Ourselves
I can always rely on Ginny to help me slow down.
There are so many options to reconnect to our physical body and honour the unique pace of our mind. When we make the choice to take care of ourselves, we are automatically of service to every being because we set the pace for self-respect, happiness, respectful productivity, intelligent focus and knowing what to prioritise in life. By reconnecting to ourselves, we know how to connect to others in a meaningful way. So, enjoy that nap. Wrap up in that lovely blanket and relish in that gentle cosy hug it gives you (because maybe you are like me and you get cold even in the middle of July!). Have a warm bath or a refreshing shower. Stretch luxuriously with no agenda. Just enjoying taking care of ourselves instead of treating it like another to-do list is a very beautiful and helpful way to slow down.
To Slow Down is to Reconnect
My other happy place & pace : painting soothing landscapes.
In our modern world we often hear the word "connection" in many different contexts. At its most basic level, I believe that connection simply means “to be aligned with what is needed.” To be able to choose wisely how to reconnect to ourselves, to nature, to our priorities, to what matters most, to what makes us thrive, gives us a purpose and helps us to be helpful in the world. And it can all get done while we slow down. Because if we don’t take care of ourselves, who will? :) Let's find our happy, serene place and pace. I wish you much enjoyment!