Summer is a Loaded Word!

By Pam Hadder

Industrial revolution economists imagined how time-saving technologies and devices would reshape our world. It was predicted that a 

20-hour work week would be the norm by the 1980s, resulting in the luxury of more free time, increased wealth and improved health for the average worker.  These benefits were expected to arise out of the time-saving and productivity-boosting efficiencies of increased mechanization.   Despite some good intentions, this humanistic vision has not been realized.  Yes, working conditions have improved over all, and people are living longer, but women, children and the poor are still exploited around the world for a minority class of wealthy business owners. Global capitalism and corporate greed have burgeoned, ensuring that the financial benefits reaped by technological development remain polarized – the gap between the haves and have-nots remains and widens.  And the real kicker – the average person is working longer and longer hours with less and less leisure time, and with limited power to change the established structures of control.

Sometimes I wish that I did not know about the potential good for mankind presented by the industrial revolution.  Instead of working more efficiently and having more time for family, recreation and creative pursuits, people are increasingly pushed to be constantly engaged and plugged in for business.  To do otherwise is to risk being labeled as out-of-touch, un-hip, washed up, unmotivated and so on. 

And so, what to do about summer?  Summer adds a layer of complication; yes, summer is problematic!  Despite the constant pressures of busy-ness and the dog-eat-dog aggression of our neo-capitalist world, summer still elicits steamy, soft-focus images of relaxation, repose and the simple appreciation of our natural environment.  Summer gently engages our bodies and our imaginations, leading us on a very human path to our origins and most basic instincts for living.  Pair “vacation” with summer and you risk some extraordinary push back – you’re doing what, going where, for how long?  Don’t you know the world will stop if too many of us unplug, take off our shoes and head off barefoot down dusty trails?

Henry James, an American writer born during the industrial revolution, once said, “Summer afternoon, summer afternoon: those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”  Beautiful yes, and precious, and significant – so, why not serve yourself a generous piece of summer. Savour each taste, each sound, each colour; every scent and every memory – and be conscious of their importance to your well being.  Summer remains a loaded word, so resist the pressure to deny your humanness, and layer your summer moments with all of the positives you need to remain whole and connected to your personal purpose.

Eternal Summer

By Pam Hadder

It's happening, like the flip of a switch -- one morning you get up and there's a slight chill in the air, the sun is rising later, wasps are swarming and a faint scent of autumn is lingering on the breeze.  As we near the midpoint of August, there are still a few days (perhaps weeks, if we are lucky) of summer to enjoy, evidenced by delightfully scant traffic queues on the daily commute.

Living on the Canadian prairie, we learn early on in life to savour each hour of summer sunshine, because the hot days are limited and the winters have a history of being way too long and inhumanely cold.  I freely admit to my personal dream of eternal summer -- if only winter was just one month long, that would be perfect; ideally around the holiday season with just a light dusting of snow to light our way through our darkest hours. Sound good to you too?

It can be challenging to break from our cloud watching, bubble blowing, easy, dreamy summer phase and get back into the working groove for the final quarter of the calendar year.  But shifting gears is essential, particularly with the speed of transition and change in our world. We really cannot afford to be sluggish or disconnected from our living reality.  There is simply less fat on the bone and less time allowed to respond, making efficiency a vital component of our personal and working lives.

There's no need to panic if you are feeling a bit out of sorts and resistant to the changes around you. The summer to fall shift is not the only change you are up against -- our lives are layered with personal, professional and environmental changes.  There really are just two main components needed to manage these speed bumps: cultivated awareness and forward vision.

Cultivated awareness is an interesting animal because it marries the personal and professional pieces of our lives with our personality -- it requires identifying what aligns with our values and then working within that harmonious slipstream. The front-end effort is very worthwhile, as cultivated awareness is a pathway to a more efficient lifestyle. Increased efficiency, in turn, reduces stress and increases productivity.

Forward vision is a bit more complex for most of us -- we may not be accustomed to looking to far down the road, and may even be afraid to do so!  Within traditional business models, the vision comes from the top and trickles down. Individuals are not solicited to contribute to that vision, and are not encouraged to develop unique POVs. However, forward vision is the magic ingredient that makes life sparkle with appeal.

Put in simple terms, vision comes with the knowledge that opportunities and options, like change, are constant. We each shape our results with our choices and contributions, and there is an essential sense of excitement, of anticipation that is stirred up when forward vision activities are implemented. Perhaps you've met those rare individuals who share how they love their vocation so much that it doesn't feel like work?  Know that forward vision is not just for corporate moguls or political bigwigs -- it's for all of us, and the ability lies within each of us to excel within our areas of interest.

Imagine... looking forward to each new day, harnessing change like a new, wild power source; excited by the options for growth and transformation. So, maybe eternal summer is more achievable than we first thought?