Bring Joy to Mind

It’s the end of summer for my little family. Day camps have ended, and we have three weeks until school starts, so we’re in that sweet spot of vacation, staycation, and working a little when we can.

And I have been loving summer.

There has been so much joy in the looseness of our days. The ease of warm weather, when you can simply walk out the door without the rigamarole of winter gear. Riding our cargo bike. Hearing the wind in the trees. Feeling the warm sun on my skin.

And this year, for the first time ever, we got a pool pass.

Oh my goodness. So much joy and ease!

Something about having a place we could just go, without making a whole production of it, felt luxurious. We swam. We rode the giant twisty slides. I watched my son crack the code of swimming. I cooked a lot less and leaned into the concession stand a lot more. We came home tired and happy. 

I've been trying to really notice these things. To savor them rather than rushing past them.

Because I love my kids. Truly.

And three weeks of largely structureless time also means I really need to take care of myself!

So I was all set to send you a short note about joy and grounding. What brings you joy? What grounds you? How do you fill your cup?

And then, just a few hours before we were supposed to head home from an extended family weekend of fun at the lake, The Unexpected struck (as if on cue!).

A minor medical issue with one of my kids meant our plans completely changed. We were two hours from home, we were far from pharmacies so we couldn't get the relief we needed for hours. We stayed the night and left at 5:30am for home and I traded the day of work for time with my kiddo. 

Maybe I was composing an email about joy and grounding practices for my own good!

Because, surprisingly, I took it in stride. I stayed pretty calm amidst the ripple effects, including some unpleasant consequences and some negative feedback directed my way. I found my breath. I kept reminding myself that we were okay. 

And I steered us forward.

That felt worth noticing.

So whether you’re already in transition back to school, getting ready for that shift, or simply feeling the change that September often brings, I want to invite you to pause for a moment.

What do you need right now?

Or maybe even:

What would feel good?

What’s one small thing you could do to support yourself so you can more fully enjoy the next few weeks?

Or the next few hours?

Or even the next few minutes?

The practices that support us don't have to be complicated. Sometimes it's pausing and closing your eyes for just 20 SECONDS.  Sometimes it's a walk, playing a song, time outside, a quick voice text exchange or ideally a longer conversation, a nap, making something, moving our bodies, or surrendering to the situation to be present and reap the joy that is present. 

We need a variety of practices available to us, because what grounds us on a hard Tuesday afternoon may be very different from what helps us replenish after a demanding season.

My invitation is simply to notice.

What brings you joy?
What helps you come back to yourself?
What is one of those things you could work into the next hour, day, or week?

And if you're wanting a little support with that noticing, I'm here. Sometimes one conversation is enough to help us hear what we already know. Sometimes having someone alongside us for a while makes all the difference.

For now, though, take a breath.

Look around.

Notice what's good.

And decide you can make a little more room for it.