Do you feel the transition in the air? I do! Slightly cooler nights, back-to-school commercials on TV and the impulse to plan trips to enjoy the last drops of warm weather!
I remember I used to always feel butterflies in my stomach this time of year before school started because I could feel change coming. The butterflies in my stomach flapped their wings with curiosity, excitement and nerves because of the unknown that was about to unfold. I knew a new chapter was on the horizon, and I was going to grow and change. I get that same feeling today, but it’s a back-to-business mindset.
As we say ‘see ya later’ to summer vibes and welcome the Fall, it is important to remember that we get to take the summer and vacation vibes with us as we migrate indoors and into our fall routines. I often hear from my clients that they have a hard time transitioning from vacation back into their work week, no matter the season. I have heard some of them explain it’s like the Sunday Scaries feeling but multiplied by 10! If you aren’t familiar with the Sunday Scaries, it is a term that describes that anxious dread you feel Sunday evening -- scared of waking up early on Monday and having your time and energy put into work instead of your personal time.
On vacation and during the weekends, there is typically a sense of freedom, relaxation, ease, playfulness, and adventure that is lived, and when we transition back to the mindset of work, routines and responsibilities, there is this cultural belief that we can’t still live those vacation vibes. However, there absolutely is a way we can have both -- a mindset of productivity, focus, responsibility as well as one that creates freedom, ease and playfulness. Below, I walk you through a simple exercise to support you creating more emotional equanimity that helps you manage the seasonal transition and feel more empowered, capable and confident.
As you transition into your own Fall chapter, I welcome you to grab a piece of paper and make a list of 5-10 adjectives that describe the summer vacation vibes you want to carry with you. For instance: playful, exciting, relaxing, social, care-free, adventurous, spontaneous, flexible etc. Circle the one that resonates the most with you in this moment. Just one! You can always come back to this exercise and pick another.
Next, describe what this adjective means to you by using all five senses. Challenge yourself to get as detailed as possible. For instance, playful looks like joy, child-like, laughter, light, innocent, simple, getting my hands dirty. It smells like something sweet like roses, fresh like crisp air, chocolate. It tastes like a cherry jolly rancher, like berries, something frozen and slushy. It sounds like laughter, reggae music, dancing on the beach.
Now, respond to the following prompts:
Why is this adjective important to incorporate into my lifestyle?
How can I be more ____ (fill in your adjective) right now?
Review the description of your adjective. What are ways this adjective can be lived as a verb?
What do I get to do/how do I get to be different (if anything) to support me taking this summer vacation vibe into Fall?
What was your word? Do you have a picture that describes the vibe? Let me know here or by tagging me @OneWade on Instagram.