Combating End of Summer Blues

We only have a few precious weeks of summer left and everyone is already freaking out. Maybe we did not get to accomplish all that we wanted to or maybe we had too much fun and we are not ready for it to be over. Either way, spending any more energy on dreading summer's end is taking time away from your enjoyment of these final days. 

I come from the land of the perpetual summer: Florida. There's no change in temperature year round other than brief occasional "cold fronts" aka 70° for a couple days. Regardless of this, there was still an essence about summer. Freedom, travel, special activities, time with friends: summer brings out wonderful things that we seem to lack in other seasons. 

Perhaps it begins in our formative years where summer means no school, camp, and fun. This, of course, means that summer closing signifies the end of all of those great things.  Well, we are adults now and save for the few friends that are school teachers, all of us work throughout the year. Yet, summer still has this magnificent hold on us. And I wonder why?

I think the short answer is that it is because we wait. We wait for the "right time" to travel, we wait to be invited to fun things, we wait for good weather, we just wait. The problem with waiting? It creates short term happiness and a sense that freedom and lightness can only occur one time a year. 

So instead of waiting for that "perfect" time to take a vacation, plan a party with friends or do something unique and fun, do it now! Looking forward to something is wonderful, but putting off your happiness to occur just once a year is not acceptable. Get out of the mindset that we can only be outside in optimal summer weather. Shake up your "rules" that you have established and make each season exciting. Summer will still be there in all it's glory, but fall, winter and spring deserve a little love, also. 

Do not let your happiness be seasonal and come around once a year. Make room for these things throughout the year. Enjoy the remaining days of summer but remember to enjoy fall, too. And for that matter, enjoy winter! Be in the moment and make time for the things that bring you happiness all times of the year. Why wait?