The Bittersweetness of the Season

A moment to reflect

Each year around our wedding anniversary in May, I begin to notice the early morning light sneaking into our bedroom. It’s the sun’s way of telling me that more daylight and summer are just around the corner.

Summer has always been a playful season for me. During my childhood, I spent hours throwing the baseball against my pitchback, making up games as I raced through cornfields or playing flashlight tag with my friends from the neighborhood. There was nothing to binge-watch and no phone to check.

Today I embrace summer’s early morning daylight with a sunrise bike ride to “beat the heat” and avoid traffic, only to be drenched in sweat by the humidity. 🥵 These early morning rides allow me to clear the mind, check in with the body, and wake up the senses – they make me happy. 😀

Although I prefer the sweatshirt weather and vibrant colors of autumn and accept that seasons come and go, it’s still bittersweet to welcome my birthday month as we say goodbye to summer and ample playtime daylight.  

Three times a year, during seasonal transitions, I reflect on what I’ve experienced, from the muddy to the marvelous, during the last few months. It’s an exercise of remembering, gratitude, and intention setting.

Here are eight prompts that I will reflect on over coffee or during a bike ride this weekend, and you might wish to join me in doing the same:

1. Moments: What were the moments that lit you up? Challenge you? What did you discover about yourself as you experienced them?
2. Health: What is the mind, body, and heart trying to tell me about my health?
3. First Principles: What values are most important right now?
4. Relationships: In what ways do the people I spend the most time with bring out the best in me? How am I bringing out the best in others?
5. Career (5 Whys): Why do I do the work I do? Why is this important? Why do I care about that? And why is that? Ultimately, what is my why or Ikigai?
6. Tech: How would I describe my relationship with my smartphone on a scale of 1 to 10? What would make it healthier? I’m curious – how would you answer these two questions? LMK.
7. Play: What does play look like for you in the new season?
8. Intentional Ripples: What qualities do you wish to ripple over the next few months.?

Our natural tendency is to keep pedaling forward. I get it because I love to get stuff done, but there’s also value in taking a moment to coast – a pause, if you will – and reflect on what truly makes you happy before sprinting into the next season. 

If you’re in the States, Happy Labor Day. If you can, get out and play tomorrow. 

For those in the Northern Hemisphere, a happy early autumn to you and an early welcome to spring for those south of the Equator.

Tomorrow, join us for an Intention Setting Practice at 7:30 am Eastern.

Until next week, have fun storming the castle!

Michael

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