At Michigan Medicine this month all employees have been encouraged to take a pause, to reduce non-essential meetings and to redirect time and energy to create more space for personal wellbeing. There is, of course, no push back on this encouragement! With fall on the horizon, August feels like summer’s last chance. Not only to prioritize more ease and rest, but to savor the beauty of our state at this time, slowing down to enjoy natural rhythms of daily life.
By definition August’s meaning is one of reverence and admiration, majestic and supreme. Whether or not this is your favorite month or season, for all of us, it’s an invitation and reminder to play; our chance to celebrate and cherish leisure in our own ways. And there’s something about the collective nature of this wish, the affirmation and consensus, which lends more energy to our personal efforts. I suppose it’s specialness is also fueled by how fleeting it truly feels in a region with four distinct seasons. And yet, the reminder to play, to rest and prioritize wellbeing must remain in the forefront throughout the year, no matter the weather.
So as you dash for one of the glorious beaches, plan a last minute outing, honor a time old family tradition, spending more time at the park or doing whatever beacons you most this season, consider how you plan to protect your joy and peace going forward. It seems the more demanding our schedules and drained we feel, the more important our wellbeing practices become, and yet we so easily dismiss our needs. We may delay or ignore what our bodies crave and the places, spaces and people which enliven, renew and reflect joy and peace back into our days.
So often it’s in the simple acts and reminders. Maybe you keep Petoskey stones lined up on your window sill, or dried flowers from your garden in a vase. Perhaps you rotate summery photos in a digital picture frame or know precisely who to call and connect with, a summer-like person you can rely on to bring you back to joy. Hopefully, you can also rely on yourself to be the protector of your peace with help from mother nature and others who care about you and know you well.
A few reflection questions for an August Pause:
- Where does summer live in you?
- Where are its vestiges in your environment and home?
- What are the qualities of summer you wish to carry into the next season?
- What have you learned this season about yourself, including your specific needs and wants?
- How do you anticipate this impacting any decisions you will be making - from activities in your calendar to significant life changes?
- And how might you plot dates in the future - as critical as doctor appointments - to spend time in your joy and in nature as medicine for rediscovering it again?
What’s one simple, pleasurable thing you have wanted to do this summer and haven’t yet experienced? What do you need to make this happen?
Who would you like to connect with this month as a reliable source of joy and peace?
If you’re a family caregiver, I hope you will allow this month to be a serious call to revisit and assess what may be needed to be sure your access to rest & joy are unimpeded. Pleasure is an essential inclusion in any care plan, though so often overlooked. Please consider this as you diligently provide and secure support for those in your care. How are your joy and peace, pleasure and playfulness doing?
