When the schools go back in the autumn what sort of summer do you want to look back on? A crazy busy full of work sandwiched amongst childcare responsibilities or a summer to remember with fondness?
Think back to what the summer holidays felt like to you when you were a child. Were they a time of relaxation or a time of tension? Notice what feelings come up in your body as you take yourself back there.
Are the feelings predominantly good or not?
Consider how this may affect how you relate to summer now. If the memories are good write about what it was that made those holidays precious. If the memories are not good write about what you would rather have experienced.
Now cast yourself forward in your imagination to this September and write about your summer as though it has already taken place. Write about your beautiful summer and what you did, where you went and how you felt. Don’t worry about getting this right or about matching up to what you imagine other people will put in their description or expect you to put on yours. This piece is a general overview of impressions about how your summer went.
Now drill down and take time to imagine just one day in this lovely summer. As you think or write about these questions don’t over think them or think that there are right answers. Just notice whatever comes up for you and if it’s something unexpected that’s fine too.
Where do you wake up?
What three adjectives describe how you feel as you wake?
What is the light like?
What smells are there?
Are you at home or away from home?
What are your bed covers and room like?
Where do you get dressed and what do you wear?
What do you eat for breakfast?
Who is with you?
How do you spend your morning? See every detail as much as you can using all your senses. What can you hear, see, taste, touch and smell?
What do you do at lunch time?
How does your afternoon play out?
Do you have dinner or social plans in the evening?
What happens on that beautiful summer evening in your ideal summer day?
What do you feel as you go to bed that night?
You can repeat this exercise over a number of days to see what comes up for you. Look out for anything unexpected as these points can sometimes be the stirrings of your soul pointing you towards your right path or what Martha Beck calls your ‘North Star.’
This exercise is adapted from the ideal day exercise by Martha Beck.
So what about you? I’d love to know about your ideal summer day and whether anything unexpected came up as you went through the visualisation exercise. Please let me know in the comments below and if you think a friend would appreciate this please share it with them or on your Facebook page.
Until next week,
Deb