August – the “Reset Button” of the Year
When I was a child my visual image of the year was a circle where New Year was on the bottom and opposite on the top was August. It seemed to me that the middle of my endless seeming summers was the climax of the year which divided it into two halves. Whereas the mathematical half of the year is at the change from June to July, the psychological half ends in August, when the time seems to stand still in the heat of the summer. It is like halftime. The first part is already over, things have moved in a certain direction, it is going well or not so well. Then there is a break to catch our breath, to look at our situation and our options from here on. It’s also a good time to count our blessings and simply enjoy being. August can be like a breath of fresh air or even somewhat close to a rebirth. Most of us remember a kid from school who returned in September completely changed. Visible things like contact lenses replacing the thick glasses or braces that came off and gave way to a confident smile, often coincide with psychological changes. A certain air of self-confidence or an alert demeanor is noticeable where there used to be a dreamy kid.
August has the potential to stop and reflect and to turn things around. The New Year’s resolutions are long ago. Now is a good time to look at what has happened to or with those resolutions. Some of the things on the list might not seem important anymore; some might have been taken care of and taken shape in our life. Now is the right time to look for the one or two things that were on our list but got lost or did not go so well, though still important and dear to us. Pick those out and decide to do something with them. The time might be just right now, while the days are still long and the heat of the summer has most likely loosened our tight schedule some. Anything seems possible while relaxing on our balcony or garden or beach on a lazy summer afternoon. So, why not fulfill ourselves with empowering a long cherished dream of making this or that different in our life. If it is important and gets us excited, it will be a valuable addition or change. Creative changes in our lives need a void like August often offers. It’s very challenging to come up with creative ideas while our schedule is tight and fast paced. The logical mind is running the show and needs to do so in order to make the many things on our to-do list happen. Our logical mind, however, is not good at brain storming, reflecting, coming up with new ideas and suggestions for changes that are qualitative as opposed to quantitative. The imaginative mind needs not to be rushed, rather needs space and relaxation to come forth and do its genius work. It happens when we think we are doing nothing, slacking off, being lazy. In reality we are creating the space for the creative mind to work and come up with most needed ideas for our life. The logical mind works on the time continuum, whereas the creative mind does not function in terms of time. So, this August, when you’re lying in your hammock, and if only an inkling of a bad conscience about slacking off shows up, remind yourself that you are working on the big picture of your life. Then lean back and enjoy swinging in your summer lounger. I will cheer you on from my shaded chair in the garden.
Sabine Starr, Certified Life Coach, can be reached at office@starrcoaching.com.
Category: Life Style
