Take It Easy

Summer is upon us and it is beautiful. Whether you’re travelling or enjoying a “staycation” of sorts, being off from school is truly glorious. (Can you tell I’m really excited about it?)

As educators, it is our opportunity to rest and recharge after another school year. As I hear from my colleagues, summer isn’t time “off” from work, but instead can be seen as the cashing in of all the physical and emotional overtime put in on evenings and weekends throughout the year. So here we are, enjoying this opportunity to truly take it easy.

Now that I’ve established how much I love summer, I have to admit that I sometimes find the transition into summer somewhat disorienting. My husband is still going to work, so I experience a sense of structure and routine on weekdays, but I need to make an effort to find a balance between relaxing and being productive. What I struggle with is being overambitious in my goals.

I get excited and aspire to work out every day and read something inspiring every day and plant a million flowers NOW and drink more water and learn about online marketing and take walks and bike ride and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and travel and clean out my closet and write more and revamp my website and… (you get the idea).

So, the theme for this month is a reminder to myself (and to you, if you find yourself in a similar state) to just take it easy. Having more time and energy is a gift, but I don’t need to aggressively channel this into an unrealistic set of goals. I will still get things done and cross items off my master to-do list, but I don’t have to rush it, or take on too much. I can bring a sense of ease and compassion to my goals, to my day, and to myself, which, really, is the way summer vacation should be.

If you like the message in this post, you may also enjoy my "The Power of No" post, as well.