This season isn’t just about taking time off—it’s about realigning with what matters.
I’ve always loved this time of year, so I see life going way too fast – it’s already mid-summer, a seductive time of year. It promises rest yet rarely delivers it fully. Perhaps because even on vacation, many executives are still mentally clocked in—managing, planning, fixing, stressing, even when this time offers a rare opportunity not just to slow down, but to reset.
For those in the north, summer with our temporary touch of warm weather, invites us to slow down and reassess: Am I building a life or just managing one? Even without a vacation, it’s a time to slow the pace, feel the sun on our face, and look to the outdoors. What expectations arise for you? Outdoor concerts on the town green? Amusement parks? Neighborhood picnics? Walks on the beach? Each of these activities call out of us a presence the office never does. There is an expectation of being creative, adaptable, and ready for whatever shows up in the name of fun, friends, and/or family.
It’s called “having a life.” It requires having so much more to our journey than just work. I say that because so many have an amazing ability to turn every adventure into work or a discussion of work. What if it didn’t? What if we could go anywhere out of the office and turn it into an opportunity to have a well-rounded life? It means playing tennis or golf because you like it, not because you can make or deepen a work connection or skill. It means you play with a child who may know little about the art of the game. It’s not about passing time but about building a relationship, investing in a connection that will last a lifetime.
For too many, it is an uncomfortable experience to spend a whole day simply nurturing that connection with a child or sibling. They want others to intervene to make it less awkward or less annoying. Recalibrating can mean discovering a part of you that identifies with a child, a family member, or a friend whose work life looks nothing like yours. It requires intimacy- seeing them.
If summer is going to be a time of renewal, realignment, or peace, you may discover that the recalibration is about focusing on being present, having peace, and living the purpose of connection with all those who visit this time of year, those you wish you got along with better and/or those you would like to develop a relationship with. A whole new version of you may be waiting, one you may like so much more who is becoming more comfortable in his/her own skin, in any situation casual or professional, alone or with others, in introspection or spontaneity.…
What would it look like to return from this season not just rested, but reimagined?
Call to Action:
Take 30 minutes this week for a Mid-Year Review—not of your business, but of your being. Where are you thriving? Where are you pretending? What are you ready to release? Change?
