Beat the Summer Doldrums – Two Questions

My neighbor, Kathy, stopped by to “catch up”. She bemoaned the summer heat, the remainder of August, and the lethargy she felt. “I just don’t feel like doing anything,” she said. “Nothing excites me… I find myself sitting in front of the TV completely bored. I sure wish summer was over.”

Do you have similar feelings today? The heat has finally gotten to you. Vacation is past. There’s nothing to look forward to until fall.

How can YOU beat the summer doldrums and live “Your Refreshed Life”?

By actually getting excited about the fall. Put a little anticipation into your life. Take a moment to remember the feeling of a fresh slate… a new beginning.

I ask myself two questions that I challenge you to answer for yourself.

1. If I could design the life I want to live in the fall, what would my schedule look like?

OR

2. If I could subtract or add one thing to my life to enrich my life, what would it be? So, step outside your comfort zone and really consider the first question. Don’t immediately think you can’t redesign your life. Within the certain parameters and boundaries that define you, what elements could you change? So often we get stuck in a rut. We do the “same old, same old” routine every day because…well, because we always have. And the monotony becomes comfortable. So think “outside the box.”

How would you love for your life to be different in the next month, year, or years? What decisions could you make today to create the life you’ve always dreamed of…possibly complete a certification in a new field, change jobs, move to a different state, downsize, volunteer, start a business…the possibilities are endless. Only your personal limiting beliefs restrain you.

OK. You have a family. So what are their hopes, dreams, and fears? How would they answer this question? What could you all do differently to redesign your lives?

OR

If the thought of answering the first question sent you into a panic attack, what one thing could you subtract or add to your life this fall that would bring you great joy? Have you always wanted to write? Sign up for a class. (I’m teaching “Write for Fun and Profit” at Coastal Carolina University in Litchfield, SC this fall if you want to join me.) Or be part of a meaningful charity? Volunteer at the Food Bank or your local library to help. Or begin a Book Club that meets in your home? Create the guest list and have coffee with friends to measure interest.

Start to plan now. Use August as the perfect month to redesign a fall like you’ve never experienced before…one not soon forgotten. Reinvention is one of the most fulfilling aspects of “Your Refreshed Life.” After all, the One who created you says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)

Beat the summer doldrums. Anticipate new beginnings. Ask God, your Creator, for His insight and direction as you imagine new opportunities. Make them happen by redesigning the way you use your time and live life to the fullest!