School is out, summer has settled in full here in the south, and hurricane season is upon us once again. But, even so, it's time for slower mornings, lazier afternoons and later evenings enjoying every minute of summer's last light. And in the midst of all the slowing down and stepping back from our busy routines, there's nothing like a splash of cool water to wake, refresh and energize. What does your summer look like? Maybe it's not the picture of slow and lazy. Maybe you're already feeling overwhelmed by a calendar packed full of more coming and going than one summer can hold. And maybe you're thinking those summer projects you've been meaning to pull off the shelf will have to wait one more season because life just isn't slowing its pace. If this is you, it's me too. I find myself Continue Reading
The Best Remedy for Your Worst Pity Party
I've lost count of how many pity parties I've thrown for myself through the years. It seems on any given day, I can easily create a mental list of things that didn't go right, problems I didn't deserve and blessings someone else received instead of me. It doesn't take much. When I'm vulnerable, emotional or tired. When I've been so busy spinning my wheels that I forget to slow down and breathe. Or when I'm stuck in the muck of comparison. My thoughts carry me to dark places before I even realize they're in control - instead of me. During these times, I'm not a good judge of all the good in my life. Because I've spent too much time focusing on all the "less than" in my life. And I have a feeling I'm not alone in this. Sometimes those "less than's" take up so much space in our Continue Reading
7 Perfect Fresh Start Scriptures to Reset Your Soul
Summer is the perfect time for fresh starts. Everything around us is spilling over in full life, and it’s the time my heart is most receptive to growth. I’m not striving to keep up. I’m not hustling to get to the finish line. My reset takes place during the slow, quiet exhale of summer. I feel it in the warm hugs of sunshine and in the cool rumbles of afternoon thunderstorms. It’s a soothing, open awareness of all that’s alive and new around me and in me. I think of summer as my seeding season. The time that aligns with my soul’s most natural active growth. I’m sure it stems from motherhood and intentionally protecting the summer for both myself and my kiddos to completely decompress. To hang loose and do whatever felt right at the time, We woke when the sun was higher on the horizon Continue Reading
Summer Reset: 6 Weeks to a Better You!
June is right around the corner, and it's the perfect time to press the reset button. Because I work in higher education, summers are spent resetting everything for the fall term. It's when we make necessary changes and improvements, cut out the excess, and put our discombobulated ducks in a row. We take time to retreat together, refocus and sharpen our skills, and we enjoy the lighter side of life. I absolutely love these summer months to reset and make all things right again. It's refreshing because it brings clarity and renewed purpose to the days ahead. Our mistakes take a back seat to all the ways we succeeded. Past frustrations give way to new plans and visions. Overwhelming agendas are cleared to make room for play. Unmet goals become new opportunities to set Continue Reading