Let yourself be buoyant - part 2

Continuing our trend of reflecting on past newsletters, two summers ago I wrote about the experience of spending time at a lake and making a point of tuning into being ‘buoyant’.

This summer I had the opportunity to go back to the same lake and cabin. Despite allergies making a surprise appearance, it was a really lovely time spent with extended family, with no alarm clocks, limited agendas, and even limited internet access! Seeing my son making memories with his cousins was especially heartwarming.

And when I reflected again on my previous experience of being buoyant, it took on an even deeper meaning. Connecting with the literal sense of being buoyant - ie, floating on and being supported by water - is pretty valuable on its own. But how often do we truly stop to take in ALL the ways that we are being supported by the people and places around us? Because even when we are facing challenges, there are always sources of support we can access, if we can stay open to noticing these supports.

As females, especially in professional caregiving roles, it can be far too easy to feel as though we are the ones constantly providing support to others. And indeed often what we need is to give ourselves permission to step back from those roles.

Other times what we need is to pause - even if we have to be forced to pause! - and notice the multiple ways in which support is in fact available to us as well. And then so importantly, give ourselves permission to take in the good feelings that can come from noticing this support and really let it register in our bodies and emotions.

Bonus: Taking in the support that is around us makes for a pretty good self-care activity.

Here’s to finding ways throughout the rest of the summer to let yourself be buoyant - water optional!