The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. It is often seen as a doorway into the second part of the year and into the Summer. Summer is said to be a time of renewed energy and optimism – a time to celebrate what you have done over the last 6 months and to look ahead at what you would like to achieve in the next half of the year.
In my Summer Solstice themed classes, I asked my Yogis to reflect on 3 questions before we began our practice and, like last year, I thought I would share some of my reflections in this blog.
What are you grateful for so far this year?
I am so grateful for all the wonderful people in my life. There are too many to mention, but this beautiful bunch of people includes my Husband, close family (especially my gorgeous niece Poppy), my Yoga family, those colleagues that have supported me through some low moments at work, my close friends…I just love you all. There’s perhaps only one thing more precious and important than time and that’s who we spend it with.
- This links to the above, but I am grateful for everyone who has helped me on my Yoga journey so far – your support has been so appreciated and so needed.
- I am so grateful that my wonderful husband’s health is improving. In March this year, they found a Blood Clot in his lung and it’s been a difficult few months which took its toll on his mental health (and mine to be honest). He is in a much better mental and physical space now which I am so very grateful for. I am eternally grateful for my husband and his support, hugs, and encouragement in all I do.
- My Tuesday mornings at home. Since having some difficult times at work, I have been allowed to go into work a little later on Tuesday mornings. I can’t describe what a positive impact this has had. Just to have a little time to recover from a late night of teaching on Monday and to have a couple of hours to me to relax and prepare for the week has been life-changing. I am grateful to the member of staff that allowed this to happen.
What in your life needs nurturing right now?
- My diet. I realised this weekend that due to teaching all day and most evening, my diet has started to suffer. There often isn’t time to eat between school and Yoga classes, so I find myself eating Miso Noodle pots or just grabbing some fruit between classes. I very rarely cook at home anymore and when the weekends roll around, I find I am eating out much more often and I am craving lots more cake / dessert / sugary treats. I do meal prep on a Sunday to ensure I have 1 home-cooked meal each weekday so that’s a positive. However, I am also starting to experience a lot more guilt around what I am eating, which really isn’t healthy.
- My ability to stay present. When I am teaching Yoga classes I am fully in the moment – immersed in my students and my teaching. However, outside of this, I often find it very difficult to stay present. I am always planning ahead – thinking about what I need to get ready for the next day, what classes I have coming up, what my to-do list is, etc – this often leads to me becoming overwhelmed and means I am not experiencing the moment as it is.
- My sleep – I have been listening to a lot of podcasts that talk about the importance of getting your 8+ hours sleep – I usually manage 6-7 hours and I worry about what impact this is having on my well-being.
- For the next 3 weeks and 3 days, I will need to nurture myself as my 10 Year school teaching career comes to an end. Whilst I know this is the right decision for me at this stage, it’s not been an easy journey – I plan to write a post about this once I leave. At the moment, it’s so strange hearing everyone talk about plans for the next year, people saying to me things like “This is your last parents evening!” etc. Whilst I am excited about moving on, it’s also so sad and I am experiencing really mixed feelings at the moment!
What are you excited about? What are you looking forward to?
- I am excited (and so so nervous) about starting my Yoga business full time in just over 3 weeks! I have so many questions, so many worries, but I am trusting that things will all fall into place with time.
- I am looking forward to (hopefully) having a little more time to slow down a little – I am excited about developing new routines with my exercise/ Yoga / food / Meditation etc. and maybe even having time to read more, go on more walks, etc
- I am hoping to dedicate some time to set up my own Yoga retreats and to continue to hold Yoga events on top of my regular classes
- I am excited about going on holiday to Iceland with my hubby in September
- I am looking forward to spending more time with friends and family
- I am looking forward to (hopefully) passing my Exercise to Music course and using that to teach a range of classes and to explore further courses to develop my knowledge and skills in this area (perhaps resistance training)
Take some time to acknowledge how far you have come this year. Notice the achievements you have made, and any lessons learned. What do you want the next 3 months to bring you?
I would love to hear your answers to one or all of the questions above!