The end of the summer is always tinged with a bit of sadness, isn’t it?
All those fun road trips, jumps in the lake, backyard barbecues, trips to the pool, and everything else that you can only do in these precious summer months comes to a close and in their place blows in that cold wind we all know as autumn.
If you’re like me and find yourself gazing out the window at all the green, wanting it to last just a little bit longer, then today’s blog post is for you.
The end of any season (not just summer for that matter) is the perfect time to do what I like to call the Season Past & Forward Look.
It’s a quick and easy way to intentionally look back on what was good and look ahead to what is good too. If you’re feeling ready to cheer yourself up as we move into a new season, then let’s go!
Step 1: Go over your season highlights. What was the best?
What are some of your favorite memories from the past three months? Take turns speaking them out loud with a friend (or with yourself), write them down, or simply think over them in your mind. There’s no wrong way to do this, as long as you allow yourself to re-live the joy of your experiences as you recount them. Feel gratitude for having had them.
Step 2: Go over your season highlights to come. What will be fun?
What’s coming up in the next three months that you’re looking forward to? Any events, personal projects, or holidays that you know will be fun? Making a list (written or mental) of what you have to be excited about is just about the best antidote to melancholy there is! For extra credit, tell us one thing from your list in the comments below 😉
In Closing
This week I’ll leave you with one of my favorite songs from folk singer-songwriter Dar Williams, The End of the Summer. NOTE: You might want to do your Season Past Look AFTER listening to this song – it’s a bit melancholy itself, in a very beautiful way 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H86YbjPmHY
Looking for more?
For more spirit-uplifting posts from Janelle (that’s me!) at Ellanyze, check out these other quick-reads:
Three Great Websites For When You Need Cheering Up
Fun Ways to Cure the Winter Blues