“Summer was on the way; Jem and I awaited it with impatience. Summer was our best season; it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill.” – Harper Lee, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Chelsea here! As most of you know, I am not a therapist or a counselor, and this is strictly my own personal view and opinion.
Yes folks, summer is here. It’s hot! It’s humid! Your friends at Crossroads have teamed together to share our most relaxing and exciting ways that we practice self-care during the summer. We hope that by sharing this, we help inspire everyone to help make their summer of 2020 their absolute best and relaxing yet.
Caitlyn, registration team member, informed me her self-care, “Is gardening or soaking up the sun in the pool. When I need a boost of satisfaction I find that sprucing up my yard (planting flowers, landscaping, even mowing/weeding) makes it so much more welcoming and “homey”, sometimes that is just enough to make me feel good – a boost of confidence comes with a nice-looking front lawn. On the other hand, I love to just float and relax in the pool. I put my swimsuit on, floppy hat, shades, and grab my chair float and head to the backyard pool. It is just me and the sounds of birds chirping. I get so much ease out of being in the outdoors in general.”
"My self-care in the summer includes spending as much time as I can outdoors in the mornings and evenings when it isn't too hot out whether it's going on walks, reading, sitting by the lake, or journaling,” is what Marketing Specialist, Reagan, enjoys! Clinical Team Lead, Hannah, shares, “My family plays games on the back deck and we lay out at night to look at the stars.”
Substance Use Disorder Counselor, Leslie, writes, “I love to work outside. Mowing is my zen! And because of the extra time COVID-19 gave us at home, I was able to return to one of my summertime loves: gardening! And this time, it became a family affair and we’ve been having a great time monitoring the fruits of our labor and the continued work to maintain it. Plus, I love going to ballgames. And sitting on the porch in the evenings.” Carla, IHH Nurse Care Manager, notes, “I enjoy kayaking, reading, crafting and making jewelry. I also like spending time with friends and family any chance I get.”
“Laying in the sun and listening to books on tape,” is Katie's, our Registration Team Lead, go-to for self-care. IHH Director, Brittany, includes, “Something I like to do during the summer is sit outside in the early mornings when the weather is just right. Sometimes I sit out on my deck and just hang out in silence and other times I have music playing or something for 20-30 minutes and just relax and soak up the feeling.”
Engagement specialist, Chelsea enjoys cruising around listening to music. “I love listening to everything, but my must-have music for relaxation is anything classical (Beethoven & Tchaikovsky), anything classic rock, and Enya! One of my most favorite things is playing catch with my son outside and having the grill going with some delicious food cooking. If we aren’t in the mood to tend to a grill, we microwave some hot dogs and sit outside and grab some chips. This makes for easy cleanup, too!”
Executive Director, Erin, shared “Watercolor painting to distress. My mom taught me how, and it’s very therapeutic.” Finance Director, Andrew, also enjoys “golfing, working in the yard, and going for drives.”
Always remember, while it can be fun to stay active and busy during the summer, there may be a day(s) where you feel the need to just rest. Sir John Lubbock said it best. “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.”
Make memories, stay safe, and be kind to one-another.
Love always,
Chelsea