Commentary by Katrina Owens
As a new season is upon us – spring – I think it’s a good time for everyone to revaluate and rejuvenate. What I mean is that winter is over and the warm weather is slowly but surely making its way to us up here in northern Alberta. And although 2016 officially started four months ago, I tend to think people make real changes, whether it is physically or emotionally, when the warmer weather hits.
Maybe it’s the vitamin D that lifts spirits, or maybe the smell of barbecues – either way this season seems to set the pace for the rest of the year.
The sky is the limit (excuse the cliché) to what people can accomplish from now until fall. Bucket lists are a good way to get started, all you really have to do is grab a pen and paper and go from there. Ask yourself – what do I want to do this summer? What adventures do I want to embark on? How will this summer differ from previous ones?
These are just a few you can ponder on, and you don’t necessarily have to use them as a template. Self-reflecting (as redundant as this sounds) is all about reflecting on yourself, what you can change, what you can’t and most importantly what you want to do and why.
Personally speaking, I am aiming to change how I feel towards being ‘beach body ready.’ I want to enjoy summer months instead of dreading the heat; this has always been an ongoing battle within myself.
I think it mostly surrounds the ‘what-ifs’ and feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. Perhaps it’s something in the air up here, or the fact I’m without many distractions, but since relocating to Slave Lake I’ve had a lot of time to think about the changes I want to make in my own life. Changing the way I look at being ‘beach body ready’ opens many doors for me, a major one being that I don’t have to worry about what others think. And who knows, maybe I’m being semi-narcissistic and am reading too much into this, but whatever the case – for me, this summer is all about getting over self-imposed obstacles.
For some it could be overcoming a fear of swimming, others it could be finally getting around to visiting places, it’s not going to be the same for everyone. But I think each person has one thing in common: they’re trying new things and breaking through barriers.
Isn’t it strange to think someone can look so put-together on the outside and be struggling inside. The hardest part (in my opinion) is that these particular struggles aren’t always in our control, sometimes it’s the media who puts the unrealistic standards in our heads, and other times it’s the fear of the ‘what-ifs.’
When I say the ‘what-ifs’ I’m referring to the sort of daunting questions that usually start with what-if and have a negative connotation associated with them.
I’ll end here saying this, set your own tone for this season, make the changes you want and try to jump any hurdles you’ve been afraid to in the past.