Summer is the season of celebration; a time to embody joy and savour the many pleasures this time of year has to offer.

For many of us, especially up here in the North, it can be a shockingly short season. So I say, “Seize the Day!”

Here are some fun and easy ways to enjoy the summer season, as you reconnect with the natural world, reconnect to your own deepest nature, and express yourself creatively.

You’ll need a pair of sensible shoes — each of the following suggestions involves taking yourself outside and into nature. You’ll also want to keep a pen and paper or notebook handy.

Walk the land; explore the elements

It is in a woman’s nature to come alive when the sun is shining and flowers are in full bloom. So today, and every day if you can, I invite you to walk the land for five or more minutes. See how many elements you can explore, whether it’s in your own backyard, on a quick neighbourhood walk, a trip to the Farmer’s Market, at a nearby park, or during your holiday travels. Here are some ideas to get you on your way:

Earth — Kick off your shoes and walk barefoot on the grass, soil or sand (great for grounding!). With your feet on the ground, take a few deep breaths, releasing expectations and mind clutter, and allowing yourself to sense your roots deepening and widening. Consider this question from inside your body and heart: What do I wish to ground? (This could be an intention, a creative dream, a part of yourself, etc.)

Wind — Feel the wind on your face, breathing deeply. Sense each breath in (inspiration) and out as part of sacred, alchemical exchange with the surrounding trees.

Fire — Enjoy the warmth of the sun on your skin (essential, in small doses, for making Vitamin D which supports our health and vitality in so many ways).

Water — Can you visit an ocean, lake, river, stream or pond? On a rainy day (we’ve had more than a few of those here!), can you shift your perspective and find beauty and enjoyment in this experience too? (And while we’re on the subject of water, develop a daily habit of drinking more pure water to stay hydrated.)

Wood — Hug a tree! Go on, you know you want to!! Women have a very special connection to trees. Or sit under one to meditate, journal or simply rest.

Wherever you find yourself, take in all of nature’s beauty. And know that this beauty is a part of you.

Take your question into the world

The natural world has so many lessons to share that are entirely applicable to our own lives. Observing the comings and goings of perennials in a garden, for instance, teaches us that everything blooms and fades in its time and can’t be forced.

Take a question, decision or dilemma with you on your walk. It can be just about anything you’re wrestling with or unsure of. Formulate a specific question or set a clear intention, and then head out, allowing what you observe in nature to point you towards an answer or insight.

The only thing you need to “do” is to be fully open and present to seeing what’s both within and around you. When this feels complete, capture key insights in whatever way you’d like so you can act on them at your first opportunity.

Write haiku (really!)

You likely remember writing haiku in school. Now it’s time to rediscover this form of poetry for the pure enjoyment of it. The format is simple: a haiku has 3 lines and 17 syllables — 5 syllables in the first line; 7 in the second; and 5 in the third (but this isn’t a hard and fast rule). The idea is for you, the poet, to capture a moment in time from the life of nature. It’s creative, as well as meditative, and it doesn’t matter whether or not you consider yourself to be a “good” writer.

Head outside, and in the first few minutes, just settle into being in nature. Get present. Stay relaxed and simply notice. Pause briefly when you see something that catches your eye, and when you’re ready, take out your notebook and capture it in a haiku.

Here’s one from the Japanese haiku master Matsuo Basho:

Chrysanthemums bloom
in a gap between the stones
of a stonecutter’s yard

Write one or many! And please feel free to share your creations in the comments below.

How do you wish to create your summer?

What would you love to do more of this summer, and in the second half of this year? What if everything under the sun is available to you now to live your life in full bloom? It is! What will you choose?

Leave me a comment below about how you intend to spend this season — your projects and priorities, what you plan to enjoy, and what is calling to you most. I’d love to hear, and so would our community of wise-women!

If you’d like support…

I would be delighted to support you in your journey to follow the creative fire of your (mid)life, through one of my summer coaching and consulting packages. You’ll spend joyful time reconnecting to who you are, playing with what lights you up, and sowing bountiful seeds you’ll harvest come Fall. Contact me to learn more about my summer coaching and marketing consulting packages (available until July 15, 2017) or book a 30-minute complimentary, no-obligation sample coaching or discovery session with me by clicking here.