A Midsummer Day Check-In
June 24, 2019 |
| Photo by Kyle Peyton on Unsplash |
In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re
at the edge of summer. We just experienced the longest day of the year on June 21st, and today is Midsummer’s Day. In many countries, such as
Sweden and Finland, Midsummer’s Day (or Midsummer’s Eve) is a holiday that
celebrates the longest day. The actual festivities take place on different
dates, depending on the location, and activities include bonfires and maypoles.
While I won’t be lighting a
bonfire (it’s plenty hot enough here already), I am taking some time today to
check in on how my year is going so far. I didn’t set a bunch of big goals at
the beginning of the year—I just wasn’t up for it at the time—but I did choose
a word of the year, rise, which I’m sorry to say I’ve basically forgotten all
about.
Oops.
But I feel more inclined to set a
few goals now, though I still want to stay low-key with the process. I’ve
already checked off a couple of items on my Summer Fun List, including taking a
yoga class, and indulging in a black cow (more than one, if I’m honest—wouldn’t
want that root beer to go to waste).
I’m also well into my Summer Reading List—I finished The Foundling,
and have started The Island of the Sea Women, Ride With Your Mind,
and The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.
The year is slipping away all too
quickly, and I don’t want to waste any of its precious days. So, notebook and
coffee cup in hand, today I’ll be thinking about what 2019 has held so far, and
what I’d like the rest of the year to be like.
If you’d like to take the
opportunity to check in with yourself, too, here are some questions to ponder:
- What do I want for the rest of the year?
- What is working well? What isn’t?
- What gifts has 2019 given me so far?
- What habits do I want to break? What habits do I want to continue or start?
- Is there anything that I absolutely want to accomplish this year? If so, what small steps can I take immediately to work towards that goal?
I’d like to look back on the year
in December and be happy about not only what I’ve accomplished, but how I’ve
lived—did I savor the simple pleasures and everyday adventures, or was I too
busy and distracted to appreciate what I had? Did I make the most of my time,
or did I fritter it away on pursuits that ultimately left me feeling empty?
Taking some time to reflect on
your life—whether you do it on Midsummer’s Day, New Year’s Day, or every Sunday
evening, can help you focus on the activities, people, and thoughts that help
you lead your happiest life.
What has 2019 been like for you
so far? Please share some of what you’ve been doing, thinking, and learning
this year in the comments below!
6 comments
Kathy this is a great idea to check in with the plans that were made at the first of the year. A life examined can lead to good things. It sounds like you are on the right path with that black cow :)! Is that another title for a rootbeer float? You will have to let me know. Hugs!!
ReplyDeleteDebbie--A black cow is more like a root beer shake than a float--the ingredients are more blended together. My favorite way to make one is to mush the ice cream and root beer together and add a small squirt of chocolate syrup. Yum!
DeleteThank you Thank you!! I will add this to my journal, like the bullet journalers do. I am living my life so much more intentionally than before, but I still have a long way to go in this practice!
ReplyDeleteHow is the bullet journaling going? Hope these questions help just a little in your (our) quest to live more mindfully.
DeletePS Love how you're into your summer reading list. I'm listening to The Library Book right now, non fiction. Fascinating writing, about libraries, and more!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a book I'd like!
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