Choose Joyy Podcast
Based on the mood and habit tracking Joyyful Planner, the Choose Joyy podcast is focused on self alignment for those who struggle with anxiety. Through these unpredictable times, we’ve all experienced moments of self-doubt and uncertainty. By making a conscious effort to choose joy daily, we allow ourselves to heal and grow into the path destined for us. Join me weekly to unpack, affirm, and choose joy.
Choose Joyy Podcast
The Days Are Made of Summer
Summer may be ending, but there's still plenty of time to soak up the sun and savor the season before the fall rush begins. This episode explores practical wellness tips to help you stay present and grounded during this seasonal transition while preparing your mind and body for shorter days ahead.
Take this invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and choose joy in the present moment. Your autumn self will thank you for the care and intention you bring to this transition.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 to connect with trained crisis counselors.
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Visit www.choosejoyy.com for more
You've made it to the Choose Joy podcast. Here we make a conscious effort to choose joy daily, we allow ourselves to heal and grow into the path designed for us. Join me to unpack, affirm and choose joy. Hello and welcome back to the Choose Joy podcast. I'm your host, chels, and I hope that you guys are doing well today and that you're finding small ways to choose joy wherever you are. So let's just dive in.
Speaker 1:Listen, people are already talking about fall, like I know that y'all felt that. Breeze, the pumpkin spices everywhere, sweater weather, back to school has already passed us. But let's be real, summer is not over just yet. We still got a little bit of time. I am a summer baby through and through and it's just my favorite season. Right behind it is fall, but let's just not rush. The calendar might say September, but the sun is still shining, the evenings are still warm and we have plenty of daylight left to soak it in. So today's episode is all about savoring what's left of the season, and I mean literally and figuratively, and I'll be just sharing some wellness tips that have helped me Stay present, grounded and joyful as ever.
Speaker 1:As summer comes to a close. Have you ever noticed how quickly we rush into the next season Like stores start putting out Halloween candy in August and Christmas trees in October and, honestly, before we know it, we are mentally three months ahead of where we are right now. And here's the thing when we rush seasons, we miss the beauty of what's right in front of us. There is so much summer magic still happening. God has given us sunsets, late night laughs, fresh fruit and just a slower rhythm that summer just naturally brings. So I want you to pause and ask yourself have I really soaked in this season, or have I been on autopilot and already thinking about what's next? Okay, so part one, let's talk wellness, and not just green juices and working out, though those are great, but whole self wellness, your body, your mind, your spirit, spirit. And here are some tips that have helped me carry through these last few weeks of summer, and hopefully it helps you.
Speaker 1:Number one get outside, even if it's just 10 minutes. Step outside, feel the sun on your skin, okay, notice the breeze. Go for a morning walk, preferably the morning, because that's when your day is just now starting. I also go for a brisk walk after work, because you may be inside for a majority of your day, so, or even having your coffee on the porch. That's a start, but expose yourself to natural light. Natural light boosts your mood, it regulates your sleep and reminds you that nature is still alive and thriving, and so are you. You can also do a brisk walk or step outside after dinner, after work. I like to do both. I like to have sunlight in the morning and sunlight when I get off, because soon come it's going to be dark. When you wake up it's going to be dark at six o'clock, so we need to soak in the sun. God gives us natural joy, natural vitamin D that boosts our immune system and it boosts our moods naturally. So that's step one.
Speaker 1:Step two is hydrate creatively. Okay, we all know that we should drink water, but summer gives us so many fun ways to stay hydrated, including infusing your water with fresh fruits, herbs, cucumber slices, whatever. You can try a nice herbal tea, iced or coconut water. Staying hydrated just keeps your energy steady and keeps your skin glowing too. So while you're getting all that good sun, also replenish your body with water. Just drink water.
Speaker 1:Number three, and probably my favorite from the list, is savoring seasonal foods. I'm such a foodie and this is the perfect time to see what's in season. We're still in the last few days of summer season, so that's peaches, watermelons, berries, corn, tomatoes. Try a new recipe that highlights summer produce before we move into fall and then go from there. Eat more fall foods pumpkin, squash, soups, things like that. Eating seasonally not only supports your body but it helps you stay connected to the rhythm of nature. It's actually so amazing to me that God gives us natural joy every day, from the foods that we eat to the nature that we see outside, the trees, the sounds of the birds, really get connected with nature. Touch some grass, eat some good food, and it just reminds us that we are human and it's a beauty in that Four.
Speaker 1:Move your body. Move with joy Instead of feeling the pressure to work out. I've really just taken that out. Okay, I haven't been to the gym consistently in months, months, and recently I started going back. But it almost feels like a chore and I know to all my um gym rats out there. I know like it is work. You're clocking in for yourself and yada, yada, yada, whatever. For me, what works best for me is taking that pressure out and thinking of movement as play. So, going for a swim, going for a walk, like I said, dancing in my living room, riding a bike or trying outdoor yoga. I've done that and it's amazing and just moving your body in just joyful ways that reduce stress and boost endorphins. I honestly challenge y'all to go home, crank the music up and dance, just let loose. Dance like One. You'll be amazed at how many calories you burn. And two, it's such an easy dopamine builder. Easy ways to boost your endorphins, easy ways.
Speaker 1:Number five, while we come back from talking about movement, also rest, and that's very important to me. That's even more important to me than movement, to be honest, because longer days mean staying up later and you can't forget to rest Now. Soon come we will have a time change, so it's best to get yourself in a rhythm now so that you're preparing yourself for those shorter days. So, while we still have longer days, that may look like a short afternoon nap, a slower morning or setting a bedtime routine that actually helps you unwind. So have a time in mind that you want to be in the bed by, and then, an hour, two hours before that said time, naturally wind down, turn the lights off, put the devices up. You know what I'm saying. Saying rest is just a part of wellness as being active.
Speaker 1:Now I have seven on the list, so number six is creating summer rituals. Think about something small that you can do weekly or daily. That feels like a quote-unquote summer moment. Maybe it's eating dinner outside on Fridays, or lighting a citrus candle in the evenings, or keeping fresh flowers in your space. That is my favorite. I've been keeping fresh flowers around me and that just helps me savor instead of rushing. Also, because summer is technically coming to a close soon, it gives you something to look forward to next summer and you can do the same thing for fall um and change your ritual, your routine there, because it just helps you savor instead of rushing and, like I said before, it just gives you something to look forward to. And last but not least, practice gratitude for the season, and that's really every season, but each night write down something that you loved about the day Maybe the taste of a cold drink, a song that you haven't heard in years, or maybe a laughter that you shared with somebody, because gratitude really pulls us back into the moment and forces us to be present and be grateful for even the smallest of things. Full for even the smallest of things. So, now that we've gotten wellness out of the way. What we can do for our bodies physically, let's talk about the mental, and that's just shifting our mindset. Here's the mindset shift that I want you to carry.
Speaker 1:Summer is not a deadline. You don't need to check off every bucket list activity to say that you had a good season. You can live in the now and that is enough. Instead of looking what you didn't do this summer, look at what you can still do. Maybe one last weekend road trip, maybe you can finally visit the farmer's market, or maybe you just sit outside at dusk, phone down and let yourself just be, watch the sunset, watch the natural art and beauty around you, because soon, soon and very soon, we are going to see the king. No, soon and very soon. It's not going to be like this. We are going to have fall, and while I do love fall I do appreciate all seasons I do not like the time change.
Speaker 1:I don't know about y'all, but I don't like the time change that. It just makes me feel icky. And I think that we can get ahead of it, and this is my way of getting ahead of that by forming a routine now so that when fall and the time change and shorter daylight does happen. I am mentally and physically prepared for that. So, as you go through the next few weeks, remind yourself summer is not over yet. There is still joy to be found, sun to be felt, laughter to be shared and rest to be embraced. So let this be your invitation to slow down, savor and take care of yourself, your body, mind and spirit.
Speaker 1:And before I close out, if you are listening on today, our actual release day, it is Suicide Prevention Day, september 10th, and that's just a reminder that mental health matters and help is always, always available. If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. Please reach out, speak up and support one another. There are resources like 988-HEAR-247. Let's keep the conversation going.
Speaker 1:988, for those that don't know, is a suicide and crisis lifeline, a free, confidential, 24-7 support service in the United States for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, emotional distress or thoughts of suicide. You can call or text 988 to connect with trained crisis counselors who are there to listen, provide support and help you find the resources you need. It's kind of like 911, but specifically for mental health emergencies. And finally, I want to thank you all so much for joining me for today's episode of like 911, but specifically for mental health emergencies. And finally, I want to thank you all so much for joining me for today's episode of Choose Joy. If this resonated with you, please share it with a friend who might need the reminder to slow down and soak up the season and, as always, remember choose joy in every season. And that's a wrap. I talk to y'all next time.