If you are finding the less than sunny summer a challenge try considering the following to rise your spirits, nurture your soul and ground you with energy:
1. No matter what the weather try to get outside in nature every day. Places that are especially beneficial to us are by moving water such as the beach, rivers, streams, and lakes; by trees; and on mountain peaks.
2. Breathe deeply and ground yourself. I often take a time out and lie on the floor or out in the garden and have a power “napitation”. I always feel better when I slow down, rest my mind, and connect my body to the ground. If you cannot do this try removing your shoes. Or chill in your garden; whatever it takes do it as it is important to ground yourself back into mother nature and draw your energy and awareness back to being connected with her.
3. Move your body – sometimes the right thing to do when you are feeling tired is to get outside and do some exercise. Go for a walk, a bike spin, a run or a hike. Get out on the water in a canoe or walk the dog. More often than not it is the being outside AND the body movement that matters. Just going to the gym often doesn’t create as much of a rebalancing buzz.
4. Connect with friends, family, or your animal friends. Connection is a vital part of our well-being. There are times in my life when I wasn’t always so surrounded by the amazing people that I am now. So when I felt lonely and deflated I took a book to the café or local hotel and treated myself to a coffee and sometimes more and snuggled in over my book. The feeling of people around me and often random unexpected conversations was plenty reassuring that I was in truth never alone.
Connect, reach out; I’ll bet you are not the only one missing connection.
5. Go on a mini-adventure – get in the car and drive! I’ll bet there are places right on your doorstep that you never even knew about!
6. Keep your home bright. I use selenite lamps and crystals in my office and at home. I find these wonderful for me. I also have a rose quartz lamp and a white Himalayan salt lamp. Full spectrum SAD lights and light boxes can be helpful. The new type of light bulbs (energy-saving) are the very worst ones for how we feel. If you can locate some old-fashioned ones then do. Examine the layout of your home can you make it brighter? Can you add more plants to bring nature inside?
7. Challenge yourself with new goals or activities. Go to the cinema on a school day, take up a crazy challenge like kite surfing, wind surfing, or triathlon (doh that’s me)and more; learn to swim or sail; join a sports group, class or club; take up a creative art class or learn a new language or cooking skills. Get out of your funk, get inspired and grab life.
8. Lose yourself in literature – snuggle up in a bright room or wrapped up outside and get lost in reading.
9. Eat well and place priority on fresh and local produce.
10. Are your vitamin D levels low? Have them tested by your GP as sometimes the blues may be related to a lack of Vitamin D due to lack of sunshine.
11. Book some me-time-treat-time; sometimes a few hours in a health spa or holistic treatment centre hits the reset button for a fatigued and low body.
What is it that you are yearning to do? Do it but whatever you do and whatever it takes…. laugh more.
Love Andrea
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