Often the transition from one season to another can feel unsettling.

When it comes to heading into Summer it can feel like someone just threw the map out the window. Of all the four seasons Summer is definitely the one in which flying by the seat of your pants is welcome. But for this Virgo mama I thrive once we've established our new Summer rhythm and routine. When the underlying foundation's in place I can become Spontaneous Mom—offering up last minute picnics at the beach for dinner. With Summer Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere) here and gone and temperatures in the 80's there's a lot of excitement around here about what we're going to do each day.

I can feel myself getting anxious about all the possibilities and how best to spend these precious months of sunshine, outdoor play, and extra time with my kids. When I throw in work, our garden and chickens, and time for yoga, stillness, and creativity (my happy mama activities) my vision starts to blur. Instead of letting myself fall off the cliff of overwhelm in the first two days of Summer I remembered one of my favorite coaching tools—declaring your values.

I asked myself “How do you want to feel this summer?"

I instantly felt myself take a deep inhale and exhale breath. Go ahead and take one for yourself.

When you take a moment to pause and declare a few values you would like to hold (or how you want to feel) for the season you're in, everything else becomes suddenly more clear. Now there is something guiding your choices as you establish your daily rhythm, social activities, creative projects, and weekend trips.What I love about this tool is that it helps you tune into your own desires, right now. Not last season or for the rest of the year and not for your friend or neighbor. It's about getting clear about what's true for you. If your kids are old enough you can ask them too. It's powerful for them to start connecting how they feel with the choices they make. I can already tell that, for me, this summer is a time to recharge, replenish, and reinvigorate myself. I want to feel:

like a juicy sweet popsicle. I'm keeping this one open for interpretation as the season progresses.
connected to nature with lots of outside time in various forms (beach days, garden time, walks and hikes).
relaxed. I want to find some second hand furniture for our covered front porch so the kids and I can read, create, or just be together.
well-nourished, with loads of garden veggies, flowers in vases, yoga and meditation.

Within this list alone I can see what my priorities really are. I can see specific activities I will seek out for our days. At the same time, there's room for new possibilities. I can't wait to see how feeling juicy plays out! It may mean that it's a summer of homemade popsicle recipes or it may be noticing my energy levels—saying no when I feel depleted and yes when I could use more zest.How do YOU want to feel this summer? This simple exercise is a great way to bring yourself back to center, find more solid ground, and invite some creativity into your summer plans. Feel free to share your chosen values or how you want to feel below. Happy Summer!