The End of Summer Blues

Do you get them? It tends to creep in every August. In early August as “back to school” looms, my mind races back through the last few months of my twins’ summer break, wondering if we did enough, enjoyed enough, rested enough. The end of summer blues comes to most of us, I think, in some form or fashion, even if you no longer have school-aged kids (or never did).

Why August is Tough

August is startling in many ways: it’s still very hot, it’s the middle of the third quarter of the year (what?!), and it seems to be the jumping off point for the end of year crush of holidays and events as “save the dates” start rolling in. In a way, August is the last manageable month before it gets crazy busy. I don’t like it when it’s crazy busy.

Summer Memories

This past summer was wonderful. No complaints. No “should have” or “could have” bobbing around my brain. The twins went to “away” summer camp for a week this year, a first. They loved it. We took a family vacation to Santa Fe, NM, also a first. I’d dreamt of a trip to Santa Fe for many years, assuming it would be a trip for John and me or with a group of friends. I hadn’t considered it for our family, but it was a great call. The twins, now 12, are at a great age for it. We rode a scenic train, went white water rafting, visited Los Alamos (home of The Manhattan Project), and we ate more New Mexican food than you can shake a stick at.

Still, the transition from summer to fall is a tough one. For all of us, it’s a return to more responsibilities and structure and to meeting those end-of-year goals or deadlines. With summer happenings in our rear view mirror, it’s normal to feel a bit sad. Alas, time marches on, but photos like the one here are great reminders of the fun we shared. The joy on our faces is priceless.

This Year’s Mindset

This year, I’m look at this transition as an opportunity to get back on track with my wellness. As I shared in my August blog post on my business website here, August is National Wellness Month. August is the perfect time to look at what you’ve been doing and make adjustments where needed. For me, it means getting back to cleaner eating. I wasn’t terrible with my eating this summer, but I wasn’t great either. The holiday indulgences will be here before we know it, and I want to go into the holidays with a strong body and mind.

One Thing that Helps Me

In August, I start reconnecting with those I’ve not seen for several months. In this season of my life, I am intentional about who I spend time with. It’s important to me to be with those whose company leave me feeling happy and enriched. With get-togethers to look forward to, it’s hard to be blue.

What about you? Do you get the end of summer blues? What do you do to tackle them?

Thank you for reading. More adventures await, always! Wishing you a wonderful rest of your summer and a fantastic launch into your fall.