June

I am well past school age, yet I still feel the excitement as May comes to and end and the advent of summer awaits. Not so much the humidity, but the imprinted memory of my younger days when school let out from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Three whole months of freedom, playing outdoors until sunset. Catching lightening bugs. There was something so magical about having those three months of true freedom, so different than now as we didn't have a TV, computers, iPhone, iPads. We learned to entertain ourselves along with weekly chores.

What did we play? Kickball, Hopscotch, Mother May I, Go to the Front of the Class, Capture the Flag.  

What did we do? We rode our bikes to the library every week to get the next Nancy Drew Mystery, Roller Skated all over town, Spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house helping Grandma make pies and cookies, helping Grandpa in the garden, and something we never had a chance to do at home, (and we actually loved doing) helping Grandma do the laundry using her stationary tubs and putting the wet clothes through the wringer, then hanging them out on the clothes line to dry. Fresh white sheets flapping in the wind smelling of sunshine. We went swimming at the lake every sunny day we could, filled our mermaid pool when we couldn't and waited all day for it to heat up. Played in the sandbox. Played down by the creek like we were pioneers pretending we were living in the times of our favorite book, Little House on the Prairie.
 
And chores. There were always chores.
 
June brings the third Earth Quarter of the year. And the Summer Solstice on Friday the 20th, marking the longest day. A time of transition. A great time to set up your Caregiver Journal for June, July, and August giving yourself a few new goals and a new mantra to practice. What do you want to focus on this summer that will nurture your heart and soul? 

Meditation, short walks, writing poetry, picking up a passion you gave up like painting, grilling, baking pies with the fruits of summer, swimming, knitting, crocheting, felting, trying something new, photography, tending your garden, making ice cream or summer salads on those hot sticky days?

What’s in my Third Quarter Journal?

My Mantra for Third Quarter is SLOW. The perfect time to practice slowing down, stop the rushing from one thing to the next. Slow my pace, my hurried meals. Pause and take a deep breath before moving from one activity to the next. And taking the time to notice how it feels. 

My goal for this quarter is to walk twice a week. That was part of last month's goal, which was 3 times a week, which I didn't accomplish, so I'll see if I can do 2 times a week this quarter. Another goal which I've been working on is to have a Zoom class ready for all you Caregivers to join, later in June where we can connect and have some fun creating and learning about intentional self-care.
 
Drop me an email and share what your Mantra and Goals are for the beginning of Summer!