Self-Care Tips to Harness The Gifts Of Summer

Summer is here. This is the time of the year, when the warmth of the sun takes over and coats everything in gold dust. 

Nature offers its abundance of flora and fauna. We soak up the goodness just like nature. Now is a good time to set our goals and dreams into action with positivity and confidence, and prepare to reap future rewards with gratitude. Summer’s tune is a confident melody that says, “I am happy, I am positive, I am abundant”.

There is a lot to look forward to this season, and a little bit of self-care pre-season will go a long way to help prepare us for fertile and abundant times ahead. Try one or two of the tips below to enjoy the season with increased awareness, compassion and inspiration.

• Take a piece of paper. Write SUMMER at the top of the paper. Close your eyes. Take a few breathes. Open your eyes and write down everything that immediately comes to mind about SUMMER.

• Close your eyes. Focus on your breath. Listen to the sounds of nature. Visualise a skyline glimmering red as the sun rises over the horizon. Watch as it steadily rises, illuminating everything in shades of gold and orange. Feel the warmth of the sunshine on your skin. Imagine being enveloped in energising rays of sunshine. Notice how you feel.

• Compliment yourself every day. Look in the mirror, smile and marvel at the joyful expression on your face. You are unique. Confidently say! “I am awesome!”.

• Practise ‘fish pose’ (matsyasana) a yoga pose that helps regulate your body temperature and open up the neck, throat and chest.

• Try the yogic cooling breath (sitali pranayama), it is ideal for times you are feeling hot or unfocused. Curl the edges of your tongue to create an ‘o’. Breath in through your curled tongue. Close the mouth. Retain your breath for the count of two. Exhale through the nostrils and repeat a few more time (do not practise if dizzy, uncomfortable, low blood pressure, pregnant). Notice how energised, and refreshed you feel.

• The mighty sunflower is summer’s signature bloom, with its large open face turned to the sun. Find a sunflower. Run your hands along the stem and feel the strength within. Cup the flower head in your hands, and let the petals slip between your fingers. Breath in its sweet scent. Think about how you can be more like the sunflower – strong and grounded yet flexible and adaptable at the same time.

• In most cultures yellow symbolizes happiness, confident and success. Introduce the colour yellow into your home and wardrobe to boost harmonious energy and positivity.

• Spend some time reflecting and journaling on one or more of the following questions – What plans and visions do I wish to initiate at this highly fertile time of year? What do I need to prune back and let go of? How do I bring nourishment and passion into my relationships with both myself and others?

• Repeat one of the following affirmations in your mind’s eye – “I radiate sunshine wherever I go”, “Everyday is a new adventure”, “I welcome the suns warmth and I let it nurture me”.

• Contemplate this quote by John Lubbock “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water or watching the clouds float across the sky is hardly a waste of time”. How does this resonate with you?

If you wish to continue seasonal contemplation, please join me for a seasonal yoga event, seasonal inspired forest bathing session, or sign up to my Seize the Day 7-Day FREE Online Summer Challenge. 

I can also highly recommend ‘The Self-Care Year’ by Alison Davies and ‘The Happiness Year’ by Tara Ward.

Happy Summer-time …