The month of August is almost over and we are preparing for the upcoming season. August is a month of some of the highest temperatures in Southern California and we often hear about wildfires at this time of year. In other parts of the country we see hurricanes damaging and impacting the Southern states. August is restful before classes start for scholars, but it is also eventful with the consequences of summer temperatures and seasonal climate patterns.
I’ve been spending a month off from my nonprofit work to give everyone a rest from two years of planning, events, and community building. The nonprofit, Autoimmune Community Institute, is currently volunteer run and we needed a rest. I also wanted to give our dedicated volunteers some to prepare for the coming academic year, and enjoy their summer.
I was hoping to have a lot of time resting, enjoying the outdoors, and feeling more relaxed but during the month I felt even busier mentally. I felt like we needed to figure out the grant writing asap. I felt challenged to sell the Autoimmune Mindful Wellness course before moving into work with a larger mindfulness community.
As I attempted some rest, carpal tunnel wrist and arm pain to a level that I never felt before were emerging and calling for extreme rest from my cell phone. This was a good thing in some ways as it kept me off social media and off the cell phone. This gave me time to meditate more, do more journaling, and rest my mind. I have enjoyed a mountain hike and more morning beach walks with my dog, which has been beneficial for everyone.
So far, I haven’t had the groundbreaking transformational insights I was hoping for, but I feel calmer and appreciate the time of rest to get through the next chapter of the work ahead.
Here are some journal questions for you as you contemplate rest and resilience:
How has your summer been?
Have you made time for relaxation and reflection?
What are the new insights you have developed this summer?
What are you looking forward to in the coming season?t
