An acquaintance of mine who's a yoga teacher shared a thought on Facebook: "In a few months, it's going to be this hard, plus Winter."

Exactly. Hopes have been dashed that the pandemic would recede during the Summer months.

However you feel about the heat, the light this time of year does make such a difference. It lifts spirits. It helps with the coping. But it’s already starting to fade.

Don’t be in denial that Winter is coming. This way lies darkness. It’s inevitable.

How's your mindset doing? Are you grappling with coping mechanisms? Do you have some supportive practices in place that ground and nourish you everyday and tune you in to your deeper, wise, calm self?

It's okay if the answer is, “Nope.” There’s still time to change that. Covid has added layers of stress as has racial injustice being brought to light in such a way as to demand change. If your coping mechanisms have run amok and are draining your light rather than adding to it, recalibration may be in order.

I bet you know what to do, although this isn't about piling on "shoulds."

Personally in my world, I work with coaches and have different groups to help me hold this space when it feels heavy and hard to do alone. Right now I have 3 different check in/accountability buddies in addition to friends. I have a metabolic coach and a weekly meeting much like a mastermind. I’ve also got the monthly gathering Lilium Guild that nourishes my soul. Oh, and a weekly writing class. There are also morning outdoor adventures and walking dates.

These are crazy times, so I flow all this around my work hours. Not to add more things to my life, but to nurture me and relieve stress.

These support systems nourish me as much as exercise, eating well and spiritual practices, which are also in the mix. The balance is to make sure I don’t distract myself but rather tune in more deeply so I feel connected and grounded rather than under the influence of headlines or media, social or otherwise.

And that's why I'm offering a new series with all those aspects in mind.

It's a mix of coaching, self exploration, mysticism and ritual rolled into a 6-week container to build up your foundation for the darker months ahead.

Check out Recalibrate: Summer Recharge here.

There's space for 5 more people! Virtual meetings begin August 11 and will prepare you for the transition to Autumn on September 22.

Thank you to @adamgrossi for the deep thoughts and encouragement to tend to your own psychological health. We need to support each other in creative ways.

Thank you to Unsplash for the gorgeous photos.