Summer Fun
By Richard W. Root and Christina Gaetano
Summer is the great season to get outdoors and do something good for our health. We have all sorts of opportunities during the summer, like swimming, beachcombing, walking, hiking, canoeing, playing tennis and badminton and other sports. The good news is that summer is also a great time to exercise our mental health. Exercising our mental health means repeatedly using the skills we have learned to maintain our mental health; skills like affirmations, activities we may have come to know as 'stress busters', making goals and then attaining goals by taking small steps. Since there are more people out and about we have more opportunity to exercise our mental health in the company of others. Summer activities give us a great opportunity to strengthen our supports, enhance our skills and reflect on ourselves and the world around us.
We often feel in these long summer days as if we have more time. The extended daylight hours seem to give us more freedom to meet up with friends and enjoy activities. We also tend to more adventurous in the summer – venturing out to meet new people and join new groups. Whether you are renewing an old friendship or making a new friend, take some time this season to focus on the people in your life.
Physical exercise is a great way to address stress. So is a walk along one of Ocean County’s many boardwalks, a birdwatching trip to a local park, or a visit to the Butterfly Garden at Cattus Island County Park. We can exercise our coping skills, use our affirmations, and share our goals with our friends as we share our stress-busting activities like practicing deep breathing, low-weight-high-repetition exercise, and meditation.
The warmth and peaceful days and nights of summertime also bring us time for quiet reflection. We use this time to look into ourselves, find our centers, and create new goals. Summer is neither a beginning, nor an ending, but a step on the path where we reflect on how far we have come and where we still want to go.
So as you are making the most of your summer fun days, laughing with friends at the beach, reading a good book, taking a quiet walk, playing a round of golf, or just sitting back sipping a tall cool glass of iced tea, remember that you are caring for your mental health as you do so.
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