One of the most satisfying and rewarding shifts I’ve made in the past few years has been to intentionally live more seasonally connected.

I started by highlighting certain foods or ways of cooking that reflect the seasonal shifts.  But then I began to move into other seasonal rituals as well– and one of them is the season “symbol”. 

A fun way to feel more seasonally aligned is to choose a symbol for each season as you enter it. 

It doesn’t have to be extravagant but choosing a visual image or “symbol” can be a powerful and enlightening way to anchor your intentions for the season ahead.

Images are tremendously powerful. 

Your brain and subconscious are wired to respond to images more deeply than words. 

Summer is a season of fruition, playing, rejoicing and enjoying.  It’s abiding quality is to celebrate all that is lush and full, ripe and flourishing in your life– or that you want to be flourishing in your life.  Where your attention goes energy flows!

Here is your easy-peasy 2 step symbol picking process:

1.  Within the overall qualities of summer, feel into what you want to most experience for this season– maybe it is an area of growth you want to fully embrace?  Maybe it is a relationship you want to appreciate more deeply and celebrate?  Or a passion you want to move more boldly toward?  Remember summer is when all the work of the harvest pays off- it is about action and deep enjoyment. 

First identify what the intention or focus or goal for this summer will be in your life.

This summer my intention/goal/focus will be on _________________________.

2.  Sit with that intention and consider what symbol or image would represent that for you.  Don’t over-think this.  If an image surfaces that your head can’t make sense of, but your heart “gets” it- go with it.  Choose it, claim it as yours!

My summer symbol is __________________________.  (and now share with us in the comments below!)

In the early Christian church, when people would go on a pilgrimage, they would often choose the symbol of a seashell for their journey, as all the ridges of a shell all lead to the same place. 

 

And lately, as I’ve meditated and prayed, the symbol of water keeps coming back to me.  I feel God asking me to become like water and completely fill the present moment as it is without trying to change it or change myself- just relaxing into what is and allowing the natural flow to happen. 

I think once you begin to explore choosing symbols in your life, you’ll see how powerful they can be. 

In fact, the water symbol actually has a lot to do with why I’m leading a live group run of Designed for Wellness this summer.  (I did mention that we are beginning the summer group run of the course THIS Saturday- June 23, didn’t I??)

I’ve never lead a group run in the summer before.  But recently I’ve been getting so many requests from moms asking me if I’d consider it. 

And as I reflected it occurred to me that summer is the ideal season for the transformation this course takes us through.  For the diving in and celebrating and experimenting and equipping and transforming that takes place when you say YES! to your own well being and health.

So it felt like the flow was leading there, and I said yes.  And I’m so excited that I did- I’m amazed at the incredible women that have already signed up for our summer journey together. 

Take a minute. 
Make an intention for this summer. 
Anchor it with a symbol to keep you on track and committed to seeing it through.

And if by chance, your gut is telling you “Yes!” to joining us for the summer run of Designed for Wellness…do it.  I’ll be celebrating the choice with you!