As the days get longer, how do you spend the extra daylight hours? Do you find yourself waking earlier to watch the sun rise? Or capturing the last hour of daylight outside watching the sunset and the luminous glow of fireflies waiting for the moon to rise? Or are you busy juggling family, work, household projects, and finding a time to workout? Battling hormonal shifts that make you feel tired, irritable and unlike yourself?  Or perhaps you’re finding yourself trying to please others.  Smiling as you go thru the motions; holding high expectations of yourself or others in your life. Transitioning into summer, another season in life.  As the daffodils greens fade to wilted golden straws, their deeply rooted bulbs prepare to release them. Ever feel like those daffodil bulbs? Once producing strong vibrant greens standing tall and strong withstanding the elements, weathering the storms of life. Creating proud blossoms to welcome into the world. Then slowly absorbing the energy within those greens, nourished by the nutrients from the soil, the rain, the sun.  Feeding the bulbs once again preparing for the next season of existence. Without warning the greens begin to wilt, become withered.  The bulbs let go…naturally shedding, pruning whatever’s no longer needed.   

Approach this new season with soft slowness. I’m not referring to the physical body softening. Although in this season of life, we may be experiencing softening in some areas and wilting in others.  Instead, slowly look in the mirror with soft eyes. Take a moment and see the amazing person looking back at you. You are beautiful, you are unique, you are a gift to this world… just like that blooming daffodil.   Don’t compare how you looked ten, twenty, thirty or forty years ago. We’re living, changing beings. Your journey in life, the storms you’ve endured, the lives you’ve touched, created, been touched by and also have let go is what created the deeply rooted bulb of your existence.

Soften your expectations by accepting a less formal approach to life. Allowing your greens to wilt. Let yourself be heard, and then listen. Realize there are so many differences…you may be right, you may be wrong. Find a willingness to compromise or find an equal plane to agree to disagree. Softening without judgement. To accept others for who they are and not trying to change them. Let go of the perfectionist point of view. No one is perfect, we’re all perfectly imperfect in our own special way. Soften your expectations of others in your life too. Everyone has their battles, their needs and their own issues… we have to let others have them. We can’t change them, erase them or will them away. We may want to guide them, however they need to want to be guided. Mel Robbin’s hit this nail on the head…in her book The Let Them Theory. We’ll be discussing the book at the next Seasoned Life Yoga’s Book Club.

Enjoying a tea break, my Yogi tea bag says “ The unknown is where all outcomes are possible; enter it with grace.”  Perfect timing and advice. Give yourself grace to soften this summer, or in this season of life.  Soften, slow down and take a deep breath.  Today, I feel like those deep rooted daffodil bulbs in the flower bed.  Absorbing the energy from the greens.  Softening to release what’s no longer needed, letting go of the heaviness from seasons past……and slowing down with grace to see what’s about to emerge …..all outcomes are possible, Sweet Friend.

I encourage you to soften and slow down as we ease into summer. If you’re planning to join me on the mat this month visit www.seasonedlifeyoga.com to register for free live classes. Or register for one of the new yoga offerings at Ladew Topiary Gardens in the Iris Gardens. There’s a discount for members: Sunset Yoga, Gentle Meditative Yoga, or Family Yoga. It’s a fun opportunity to share creative yoga with your little ones. Slow down and ease into summer listening to Yoga Nidra on Insight Timer or YouTube.

Sharing my love, thoughts and passion for yoga. May you enjoy a slower pace this summer and embrace the softer side of life.  Reach out, I’d love to hear how you plan to slow down this summer.  Until next time, just breathe.