We’re coming ’round to the short season some call “mini- or early fall” (in earlier times, a brief respite in late fall weather was called “Indian Summer”; thankfully, this term is now out of vogue). It’s an annual rite of passage that generally involves the end of any summer vacations, the return to school/college/university, (re)focusing on the get-back-to-work cycle, cooler and somewhat shorter days, and a touch of chill in the air. Of course, early September also evokes wistful memories of a summer just gone by and the hopes and aspirations for a (new) year just ahead.
My hope, as well, is that most of us who are starting something new or continuing something ongoing also bring to ourselves, one another, and our respective places of work and school a most precious and vital element: renewed focus and energy. After all — isn’t that what summer break-aways, stay-cations and vacations are for?
Hopefully, we’ve had opportunities for restorative activities, rest, relaxation, and relief from the stretch and stress of regular daily routines and activities. Stress comes in two forms and is a natural condition of living a life. There is “dis”tress, the kind we mostly talk about and try to work through; and there is “eu”stress, the “happy” stress that comes from planning and managing positive life activities but can be similarly overwhelming and stress- and anxiety-inducing as well.
But there are other ongoing stresses that encircle and engage us: the abhorrent political situation, upcoming primaries and elections, financial hardship, environmental and weather challenges, maintaining or reaching for good and robust health, staying connected in positive relationships, and, well… much more.
Coming into September and the end of summer/early fall always brings one ironic (and iconic?) element: change and our acceptance of it. Everything shared above is mutable, transient, and temporary — the good and the bad. And there’s just no way around that fact. What can help to mitigate negative emotionality is having a resilient attitude. And this resilience, and a personal resolution to maintain one’s notion of balance and self-regulation, comes from many things, and among them one of the most important is a sense of personal renewal and restoration. Easier said than done.
I am sometimes wistful about the summer’s undertakings and many memorable moments, and sometimes personal reflection is both safer and easier than looking ahead. I have many wonderful photos to help remind me of those places, times, and people. Looking back can be sweet or sour or mixed — but those moments and experiences are clearly in our past.
What is known and done (the past) may often be gentler than what is to us unknown and therefore unpredictable (the future). But all that we actually have is this moment — the present. The challenge is: How can we remain rooted in the here and now? There are certain conditions that must be present in our lives to enable us to be fully attentive and focused on the here and now. One among them is having positive energy and a positive attitude, as well as presence of mind, or mindfulness. These and others help to create a sense of readiness to take on what the present provides us. We also need the strength and stamina for all the “heavy lifting” required to change any aspect of the content, context, circumstance, or situations that are integrated into and integral to our daily lives. We can do all of this more effectively if we are well rested, even robust, mentally, physically, and emotionally. For many, this is an ongoing challenge.
How is it that we can return to our respective cycles of work, study, schooling, and regular routines while feeling refreshed and renewed? The transition from past into present and future presents us with options and opportunities to re-select our most critical priorities. Reflecting on the summer just gone by as having held learning and growth experiences may provide the impetus to continue to stretch ourselves and build on the growthful times we had. This is a source of potential energy for the present into the future.
In this regard, I see life as both evolutionary (it is ever-evolving) and revolutionary (we may grow by leaps and bounds, and make small or significant changes to how we live). Learning to accept, and even embrace, change is representative of growth, potential, and hope for the future. Again, easier said than done, but well within the realm of possibilities. Much is asked of and even demanded of us as we evolve through our human lifespans. We live the level of complexity we have in our lives. We strive to master the competencies needed to succeed. While we need the company and support of others, part of the art of living is refining how to ask for what we need and make the necessary adjustments within ourselves to stay in balance while being of service to others and our communities. May the learnings of the summer just past lead to greater strength and resilience for all that lies ahead.
Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D., writes a regular column for the Recorder. He in an intercultural and developmental psychologist and writes about issues focused on human and civil rights, human values, and his ongoing commitment to create a better world for us all. Reach out to him at danielcyalowitz@gmail.com.