Summer is traditionally a weird space for me. Work and life kind of blend together and without school lessons to guide our days, it all starts to muddle. We aren’t doing much traveling this year and my kids have very few summer activities. The weather has been more horrifically hot than usual for weeks at a time with hardly a break. Sometimes I can’t tell if it’s depression/anxiety, perimenopause or the heat but it feels like I just can’t catch my emotional breath this summer.
Loved
I have loved my new standing walking date with a friend every Monday morning. I don’t tend to get outside enough so I welcome the opportunity and the accountability of meeting a friend keeps me motivated. Plus Mondays are kind of the worst at our house, so having something worth getting up early for helps me get a better start to my week. I don’t know how long into the fall we’ll be able to maintain this, but I’m hoping indefinitely.
Accomplished
I took a week off from work this month because my boss felt it was wise for all the year round admin staff to take a little time before August (one of the busiest times of our year). It was strangely freeing and yet I felt almost fearful not checking my email for a week.
Having been taking on project after another for the past four-five months, almost without a break, my husband and I realized this week that we definitely needed something resembling rest. At the end of my week off, my parents were kind enough to take my kids overnight so we had a lovely extended date night and brunch the next day. It was leisurely and relaxing and I wish we could do it again soon.
Needs Improvement
After my week off, I’ve struggled to find my work/rest groove again which is a perennial summer problem for me. (And last year it was an all year problem). Our life and schedule is so terribly irregular that I find it difficult to find a routine that works. I end up feeling inefficient, overworked or both.
But I have been prioritizing playing piano after dinner (sometimes while my husband reads to the kids’ around bedtime), stopping work before 9, and making sure I find time to read for pleasure.
Noticed
I’ve noticed that I don’t quite feel at home in my body lately. It may be the heat or also my strange eating habits or just the nature of being in my forties but sometimes I just don’t feel like myself. There is no real easy solution for this except to try to do things that make me feel like myself which means doing creative things, whether that’s writing, knitting, playing piano, doing embroidery or something else with my hands. When I do creative things, it feeds something inside me that makes me feel more alive.
Hard to believe July is already done and here comes the power-hitter that is August. Hoping to put some healthy boundaries and rhythms of rest in place to help me get through the next few crazy weeks in one piece.
I have been working 6 days a week and keeping a sabbath, but it’s not enough rest. I am also hoping to cultivate more rhythms of rest this month. https://encounterswiththedavisfamily.blogspot.com/2024/07/share-four-somethings-july-2024.html
Hi Bethany – I wanted to thank you for your insightful comment on my blog. I’m a bit slow getting around to reading these SFS posts but you commented last week. I really appreciated your thought on quitting what doesn’t serve us and allowing that to be a blessing. I enjoyed your post here as well. Interesting thought/concept about not feeling home in your own body. I often struggle with the idea that I am in 60 something body….but my mind feels a much different age. I also struggle with being creative but think that might help. Has me thinking….thanks!
I’ve been working all year on creating healthy balanced rhythms in my life, especially when it comes to rest, and it’s STILL a work in progress. I certainly understand the challenges! Hope you have a great and well-balanced August!
Happy August Bethany! The weather here in Western PA has been more horrifically hot than usual for weeks at a time with hardly a break here too. I’m retired ( had to take early retirement from my beloved Social Work at 45( I’m turned 53 yesterday) because of disability). Anyhow I had a hysterectomy when I was 45 too, and I find that as I age the heat just does me in daily, couple that with fibromyalgia and some days I’m no good for anything. I enjoy autumn, but have severe SAD from fall time change to spring time change since my 30’s, so autumn is half joy and half dread, Sigh… I hear what your saying about anxiety and depression sometimes my emotions are like lose squirrels running amuck. I’m happy you are doing things that make you feel like yourself like playing your piano after dinner. I appreciate you sharing your vulnerable transparency here. And I’m sending rest and peaceful prayers your way for August dear friend.
Visiting today from S4S#9
{{Hugs}}