Hello everyone, it’s June, it’s summer, and it’s a mix of mid-year emotions!
For many, reaching this point seems to evoke the need to express obvious statements like: “I can’t believe it’s already June!”
But how come? What intention lies behind these typical phrases? How can we unpack them, and better yet, how can we flip them into positive experiences?
We’ll get into that next…
Why we reflect and project this time of year
Culturally, this time of year marks the start of a lot of significant dates: summer recess, graduation ceremonies, family vacations, rejuvenating getaways, music festivals, local fairs – the list goes on! In many ways, the obvious break in normal work routine reminds us that another year has gone by.
It’s not surprising then to hear conversational tidbits such as: “time has gone by so fast!”, “the kids are already graduating!”, “the in-laws are coming to visit from overseas again”, or even “I can’t believe we went to Coachella again!”. All of these phrases elicit feelings of reaching a milestone or at the very least a once distant plan which now is about to come to fruition.
So, there’s no doubt in my mind that June is a significant month of reflection. Not only has another year gone by, but it functions as the midpoint of the current year (after all you will have to go back to work or school after your vacation!). It’s a temporal reminder to reflect on the half a year behind you and the half a year ahead.
Ways we can turn reflections into a positive experience
As humans, these reflection points (or personal assessments) push us to think about the goals we may or may not have met. They allow us to check in with ourselves in a realistic manner, and hold ourselves accountable for the goals we previously set and/or those we want to create. After all, having goals is an absolute necessity to maintaining a balanced well-being. It keeps us motivated, adds meaning to our days, and gets us closer to achieving those same goals.
Whatever “personal assessment” the month of June brings you, I urge you to keep positivity in mind when making your own life-checks and balances. As long as you welcome June with its seasonally unique opportunities (delicious fruits and vegetables for example) to explore and re-examine – I trust you will embrace the bright side of what’s to come in the second half of the year! Moving from “June Gloom” to “June Bloom” is yours for the picking!
Next steps for happier beings
Reflect on the first half of the year with progress in mind. Celebrate your achievements and then make plans for any necessary adjustments to ensure a successful second half of the year. It’s absolutely okay to be honest if you progressed less than you expected to or planned for. Use this time to evaluate your goals for personal growth. How realistic were you in setting the standards? What positive changes can you make moving forward?
Focus on any small changes you were able to make thus far and any future ones you’d like to work on. Consider the personal, interpersonal, family, work or community aspects of your life. Notice the correlation between performances in one aspect of your life versus another throughout the years. Some years one facet of yourbeing is stronger, while another your doing is stronger. Be mindful with your future plans for the rest of the year. What would you like to focus on now? What aspects do you feel will benefit your overall happier being for the remainder of this year most? Can you make more specific guidelines to help you achieve those goals?
Remember that this process is about growth and developing a renewed sense of motivation. If you feel emotionally charged going through your personal, mid-year assessment, or feelings of regret, disappointment, “should haves”, and/or “could haves” seep in – do your best to keep a growth mindset. You are a work in progress, and progress is the motivating factor for growth. Yes, there may have been some goals you lost enthusiasm for or didn’t fully meet during the first half of the year, but that’s okay! You are human, and this is part of the June reflection. What I would urge you to do is use the summer energy – with its longer hours of daylight – and channel it towards re-adjusting and/or setting new goals. We have to accept that at times we need to pivot parts of our plan and project a new future. Then we have to trust that only the passing of time will allow us to experience ourselves from a different perspective.
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