Labor Day Weekend’s Long Goodbye; A.K.A The Wake-Up Call

IMG_1273_optLabor Day weekend punctuates more than just the final days of summer. Sometimes the end of summer feels more like the end of an entire calendar year than it does the end of a season. Why do you think that is?

It’s probably because this forward transition entails more extreme changes in our schedules, routines, activities, and weather.  For those of us that don’t have summer all year round, we feel the marked differences more acutely. Summertime seems to convey a more relaxed vibe and so our schedules generally reflect that. Even businesses implement summer Friday privileges with casual attire, half-days, or more days off. We all feel more laid back as we frolic in the easy breezy days of summer. The pace seems slower and life feels good.

Understandably, when it ends, it feels abrupt and wakes us up. Maybe that’s a good thing.

Reality bites. Fall is encroaching, you can go kicking and screaming but it’s still going to happen regardless. Some of us transition with a great more resistance and reluctance (I confess, that would be me), while others welcome the return of a routine. But a balanced life is all about adjustments and change, and so we must learn to adapt.

Mindful acceptance is crucial in order to regroup and transition without getting stuck. Flow with the change and propel yourself forward. It’s yet another summer that has passed us by and it will soon be time to put away the beach chairs, coolers, and summer toys. Deflate the pool rafts, not your soulful spirit. These rituals are just reminders that it’s time embrace change. Look at it as a good thing. The end of a season stops you in your tracks and forces you to check in with yourself.  It begs the question, what’s next?

Remember that endings are also beginnings; the end of one thing is just the beginning of something else.  It’s OK to make Labor Day the longest goodbye ever to a fabulous summer, so join me in bidding it farewell. It was fun while it lasted but it is time to move on.  Adieu 2013…See you next year 2014.

Together, let’s embrace the next season with new opportunities and possibilities. Do you know what your “next” looks like yet?