This past week, I traveled to Spain and France with my husband. It was an amazing trip and a perfect close to my summer. At the beginning of the summer, I chose to be intentional with my time. To be truly present and embrace all that life had to offer. As I reflect on the past two months, I did just that. I focused on being, existing and living fully. I was not concerned with productivity, instead I focused on the small mundane moments. I ate outside often and limited my phone time. I was truly aligned with what I felt internally and what I displayed externally. It was a success in my eyes.
For those of you that might not know, I am a first grade teacher. School starts next week and I am eager to get back into the classroom, but also hesitant because of my level of presence. I am worried that I will lose my carefree spirit and joy due to the time restraints on my schedule. This makes it even more important for me to have moments of reflection and alone time. To be intentional about how I schedule my after school tasks and responsibilities. To be specific about what gets my time and what doesn’t.
This is a natural part of life. We will go through periods where everything is going smoothly and you feel at peace but there will also be periods where you are determined and feel unstoppable. There may also be times where you do not feel like yourself and want to disconnect from the world. All phases of life are important.
As my amazing trip came to an end, I realized the lesson that I am taking away from this summer; “abraza la vida” or “embrace life.” I am sharing this with all of you to remind you that there are going to be ups and downs in life. If you resist them, they will persist. Instead move with openness, presence, and acceptance. Embrace all that life has to offer, no matter the good, the bad, or the ugly. All of it serves a greater purpose in the grand scheme of life.