Summertime Blues

It seems ironic to get blue in the summertime. But, it happens. The buildup of events, the crashing reality of projects unfinished, and summer fatigue do wear us out. Perhaps you find yourself weary and tired. You are not alone. It is easy to believe that our personal feelings are unique and unshared. Shame and guilt sneak in as our emotional storage tanks are burning up more quickly. We are human. Our capacity for change and chaos needs to grow quicker than evolution will allow. Slowing down seems to go against the flow of our rushing world, even if everything in our minds and bodies is screaming to slow down. We are human. Like a phone running all the open apps at 10 percent battery life, it’s time to find the charger. 

Charging up our systems, especially as adults, can fall below all of our other tasks and responsibilities. For me, it can be easier to keep all the other people in my house in tip-top shape while I’m dragging myself—still in my sweatpants—back to microwave my coffee. 

The truth is, no one is going to tell you to drink that glass of water, go to the doctor, take a nap, or renegotiate a task. You can count on hearing or feeling the opposite. To counteract this, I ask myself,  

“What permission do I need to do this?” 

When I give myself time to answer this question, it usually boils down to my own perfectionism running wild. I really do have the authority over my life to make changes. And, when I am honest, it is my own responsibility to care for myself. I can ask people for their thoughts and wisdom, and then the action is mine to take. Some of the dearest relationships in my life are those folks who share wisdom and hope and walk along beside me while I do the hard thing. They don’t try to take it from me, but they don’t leave me alone in the dust, either. 

Our hardest and tedious work may be prioritizing what is broken, what it will cost to fix it, and then getting on with the work. 

What needs to take priority for your well-being?  What will it cost?  Who will support you? 

You are worth every bit of effort and work and sacrifice. You are a valuable, creative, and intuitive being—created with immeasurable worth. As you continue your evolution, I am praying with you, hoping that you see the Divine in the whole journey. 

May our God of all hope prompt you to go and be well.