Memorial Day Weekend officially kicked off the summer months here in the United States. As life opens back up with even less restrictions and more “summer fun” in the air, can you feel the pull and push to fill your schedule with travel plans, weddings, family gatherings, reunions, parties, etc?
I have a client that said, “it feels like I need to make all of these plans to make up for lost time. It feels good to see people and to be able to do the things I love, however, I don’t want to go back to being busy as my default.”
Does this sentiment resonate for you?
If so, I welcome you to practice “Mindful Planning” -- pausing before you make plans to check in with yourself before saying yes or no. It may sound simple, but we can all fall victim to the autopilot yes.
Instead of entering that slippery slope, take that moment to pause, slow down and notice if saying 'yes' to the plan is coming from a place of want and joy? Or is saying 'yes' coming from a people-pleasing desire, or perhaps coming from FOMO? You may be surprised at what you hear from yourself when you pause to check in.
For instance, you may be someone who loves and values adventure, but your body might also be telling you that it's at capacity for traveling or being social. Your body might be feeling physically depleted from the consistent heartbreaking news or anxious state of our world. It might feel confusing to feel that internal conflict, but when you sit and listen, your body will tell you the truth. And your body will always thank you for listening. Even if the mind is super sneaky about convincing you to have a logical response.
Learning to listen to ourselves is one of the greatest superpowers we can cultivate.
That’s why having a consistent mindfulness practice supports us in cultivating the ability to listen and pay attention, moment-to-moment, with kindness and curiosity. Instead of slipping into default mode, we can use our limited resources with intentionality.
If you are looking for more support and inspiration to connect to yourself this summer, the Centered in the City Community has your back. You will strengthen your mindfulness practices to support you staying grounded, present and empowered by your choices.