" A little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about"
I couldn't help but to immediately agree. Having grown up on the Gulf Coast, I would be lying if I said summer wasn't an exciting time of year. Summer just seems to make everything better. It makes the chilliest of nights totally worth it. Given this beaming excitement, I often struggle with summer because it is the dreaded bathing suit season.
It is as if the shore is the runway, and as people walk by having their own good time, spectators posted up in their chairs or beach towels are critiquing everything from weight, to attractiveness, to bathing suit fashion to the way they walk. At least this is how it is in my head, which is why I never walk the beach.
This year however, I propose to myself to change my mindset so I can thoroughly enjoy the season of bliss. I have decided to not compare myself to anyone. Anyone who knows me know this is a rather large feat, but I deserve the break from the self sabotage.
Last year I had the most fun I have had in a very long time on a beach in California. It is MUCH different in CA. The people there are all naturally sunkissed and fit. They are also very active. You don't see people just laying out on the beach reading books. There are soccer games, dog walking, jogging, surfing...etc. No one cares about anything. It was apparently contagious. For the first time in YEARS, I got my behind up and played paddle ball with my friends....on the beach. It was a BLAST. It was that simple game that made me realize how much I have missed out on when going to the beach just because I was in my own head.
I gained a new appreciation for the beach. I finally enjoyed the sand, lost track of time and lost myself in genuine enjoyment. I honestly cannot wait until the next time my feet hit the sand. I am more comfortable with myself, not because I have lost weight or anything, but because it is just exhausting being uncomfortable. You miss out on so much because you just spend time worrying about things and judgement that probably aren't even happening! I know I am not the only one who struggled with this.
If you are reading this and you struggle with what should be the most wonderful season of the year, please remember:
give yourself a break from the nature of your thoughts and enjoy the nature of reality. Soak in the sun, curl your toes in the sand, smell the wind from the shore, listen to the waves, get lost in the aroma of sunscreen and enjoy the therapeutic essence of the beach during summer. If you live in an area that is unfortunately not near a beach, just step outside and let the sun warm your soul, look up and thank God for such beauty. Take in the blue skies, how the flowers paint the community around you, and the overall glow of outdoors. The sunsets get prettier, the sunrise is more pleasant and mornings are just a little bit easier to bare.
I unfortunately work in an office that has windows so high up that I cannot enjoy the beauty of summer and spring as I would like to while working, but I am somewhat comforted by the fact that the season is approaching and that in itself helps. I can step outside if I need to, I can take a short drive to the beach or bay on the weekends, I CAN and WILL find a way to enjoy what God has given us. There is so much to look forward to during spring and summer. There's race season, softball, beach time, outdoor live music, concerts, crawfish, festivals...etc. How could you NOT love this time of year!?!
I feel somewhat empowered by my new mindset, and it's nice.
If you take anything from this post, take this:
Free your mind of worry to make room for wonder. That's the beauty of the beach...it's the greatest escape.
Peace and Joy,
Beth
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