Summer has always been a time to reset for me. Reset my body, mind and spirit in any way that I am called to. Sometimes that means diving into something that I don't usually have space for like the 300hr Yoga Teacher Training that I completed a few years ago now, or taking a break. This year, I am choosing to focus on my handmade business.
I have always been a maker. My mother was an artist in the truest sense and I am sure some of my enjoyment of watching others artistic endeavors stems from being able to watch her create as I was growing up. Whether it was face-painting at a kids event, sewing up some Halloween costumes or just sketching, I loved watching her create something from seemingly nothing. For most of my life, my creative space has been in the dance studio. I would dabble in other forms, but moving through space is something that always called to me. When the pandemic hit, going to a studio regularly was something that disappeared. Surprisingly, I haven't missed it one bit. I have made more virtual connections and turned my creativity toward those things that I had been too busy to spend time on. Sewing was calling to me more and more and I realized that bringing a little spark into your life can come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it is through movement and other times it is through encouraging habits that you enjoy.
This month, as I continue to rest my teaching brain, I will also reflect and reconnect with myself and my own yoga practice. What does it truly mean to enjoy the present? How can I look toward the future with openness and contentment while still reaching for goals? Taking time to re-establish the balance that becomes skewed when you loose perspective or are so involved with something that you no longer see the bigger picture is important. When I make space to reset in my own life, my wants and needs become clear and my goals almost write themselves. They become attainable milestones to walk toward instead of ideals that I can only hope to reach. Although I like to create my goals for the year in line with the calendar, I do like to look at them throughout the year and make sure they are still valued. Are they still things that I am working toward, or are they no longer part of the picture. It makes the end of the year easier too when you can look back and see what you accomplished and what you were able to let go of instead of seeming like you "failed." This summer reset is a great time to look at goals again and choose to continue or chart a new coarse. Be at peace with where you are and look toward the future with an open heart.