Summer Solstice

lush

I can hardly believe that today is the first day of summer.  In my neck of the woods, if feels like spring just dashed by with summer hot on its heels.  I love this time of year – it is lush and rich, not yet hot and harried – and I have ample energy to keep the momentum going on some of the projects and goals I planned at the start of the year.  Unfortunately, I just want to go play outside.  Happily, I have done my research and come to the firm conclusion, that this is, in fact, the right thing to do. Join me in taking advantage of the fine weather and getting out for a walk.  Take a note from the pages of LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner and hold walking meetings.  Research shows that walking may improve memory, and being in a natural setting can ease brain fatigue.  If anyone tries to give you a hard time about coming back to the office covered in pollen and canker worms, give them this. Then put all that fresh air and sunshine to good use and carve out some time for some long-term planning.

The summer solstice heralds the mid-point of the year and offers a good chance to take some time to reflect on your progress since the start of the year.  What do you need to do now in order to “harvest” success later?  Pull up the goals set back when the days were chilly and short and it seemed like you had more than enough time to accomplish them.  Where do you stand?  What course corrections do you need to implement to make sure you stay on track?  Do you need to make any revisions to your goals or plans?  How have outside forces impacted them, and what do you foresee coming down the pike?  Consider your personal and professional development goals – are you happy with your trajectory?

Take advantage of punctuations in time, be they seasons or quarterly closings, to make sure your feet are pointed in the direction you purposefully intend.  Carve out a bit of time to look back, look forward, and prepare yourself for a productive “season.”