Conscious Cat Sunday: Soften the End of Summer Blues

One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.- Henry David Thoreau

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is Labor Day in the US, which marks the unofficial end of summer. As a summer girl, I always get a little sad this weekend. I love everything about summer: long days, plentiful sun and heat, and the more relaxed pace of life. And even though I’ve been out of school for more decades than I care to admit, I still get that “back to school” feeling this time of year – and school, as a child and young adult, was not one of my favorite things. Allegra and Ruby are summer girls, too. Even though they don’t go outside, and know that sun puddles are plentiful throughout the year, they will miss the warm breezes wafting in through our screened windows.

Since I try to live in the moment as much as I can, I don’t want to get stuck in mourning the inevitable passing of a season. Every season has its unique gifts, and I’m going to do my best to embrace fall. If, however, you are like me, and hate to see summer go, I offer the following suggestions to soften those end of summer blues just a little bit:

Keep that relaxed feeling

We always have the best intentions of hanging on to the more relaxed pace of summer, and then end up breaking that promise as soon as we get back into our normal routine. Make it a point to find time to relax in your busy day. Even a five minute mini meditation can help you get through your day in a more relaxed fashion.

Savor your summer memories

Make your favorite photos of the summer into a slide show or wallpaper for your computer, or print out a few of your favorites and pin them up over your desk.

Maintain your healthy summer diet

During the summer, it’s easier for most of us to eat lots of vegetables and fruit and to drink lots of water. It’s most likely one of the reasons why most of us feel better. Continue to eat lots of brightly colored produce even after summer ends. It’s good for your health, and it will lift your mood, too.

Stimulate your brain

Even if your long past being a student, harness that “back to school” feeling and learn something new. Always wanted to learn a new language? Get a DVD, or take a class at a local community college.

Help your cats beat the end of summer blues

If your cats are bonded to your children, they may feel a little blue with the change of routine when the kids go back to school. Make sure that they get plenty of attention in the morning before everyone leaves for school and work, and again in the evenings. Structured playtime, 10-15 minutes twice a day, is a great way for everyone to bond, and helps prevent boredom and potential behavior problems.

The nice thing is that in this part of the world, we have at least another month of beautiful warm weather left. Allegra, Ruby and I plan to make the most of it.

Do you suffer from the end of summer blues? What helps you?

The post Conscious Cat Sunday: Soften the End of Summer Blues appeared first on The Conscious Cat.