Welcome back to the summer’s irregular version of the weekly wellness column. I enjoyed a solid nine days off after my hectic nine months of learning (a few of) the ropes that weave our wonderful Roadrunning community. Graduation was such a sweet capstone to my first school year here! I’ll be working on and off during the summer, so keep a look out for an occasional column. Meanwhile:
Summer is a great time to pick up a few good habits. While New Year is traditionally the time for resolutions, we’re usually busy recovering from hectic holidays and starting back to school or work. Seasonal malaise due to long dark days doesn’t help either.
Make some use of this more expansive season. Take some time to think about your personal health goals. Use a large vision of health: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, financial, career wellness. What needs a little loving attention?
Maybe: reconnect with your body after months of staring at screens. Go for a hike, bike ride, swim while the rains are away. Reconnect with some loved ones by planning a potluck, writing some letters, or going on a tiny adventure with a friend. With more daylight, there’s more to do and it doesn’t have to be expensive or grand. Explore a small town, or even your own town. Visit the art center or local museum, or attend one of the many free concerts in the park in towns across the valley. Social connectedness is key to wellbeing, and many of us are out of practice since the pandemic began.
Feeling a loss of purpose? Consider micro-volunteering: offering one-time or short-time help to a cause you believe in. It doesn’t have to be formal. Maybe it’s an hour pulling invasive weeds or picking up trash at the beach or a park.
Taking a summer class can benefit many of the spokes on the wellness wheel: intellectual growth, creativity, connection, career growth. Check out offerings from the extended learning center, the library, the environmental center, parks and rec, etc.
Explore your interests, both those you’ve put aside and those you’ve yet to meet. Think about trying new ones the way you would food at an enormous self-serve buffet, and get outside of your norm. Playing the ukulele? Belly-dancing? Fly fishing? Learning Hindi on that free language app? Give it a shot. If you don’t like them, don’t go back for more.
Remember when you were a kid and summers lasting SOOOO long? Sure, it’s partly because you had less time to compare it to. But research on the science and psychology of time shows that when we are doing the same thing over and over and over, the years go fast but the days go slow. reate times worth remembering by adding some novelty.
Not all growth needs to be difficult or painful. Get out there and have some fun — it’s good for you.
