Friday Musings - Solstice - a time to stand still and evaluate

I can't believe that it is June already and as I write, we are now in the first of the two solstices of the year, where we down south have our shortest day and those of you up north have your longest day.

According to Wikipedia, the solstice occurs when the tilt of a planet's semi-axis, in either the northern or the southern hemisphere, is most inclined toward the star (sun) that it orbits.

Apparently, worldwide interpretation of this event has varied among cultures, but most recognise  the solstice as a time of fertility, holidays, festivals and rituals.

Flight at Sunrise

The word Solstice is derived from Latin sol (sun) and  sistere (to stand still).
Hmm, interesting.

My thoughts at this point are that this is a good time of year to stand still for a bit and reflect on the year so far. Ask yourself some questions:

• Are things turning out the way that you had hoped?
• Have you made the changes that you need to make to reach your goals?
• Have you let go of what ever you need to leg to of so that you can move forward unencumbered?
• What do you want to achieve between now and the next solstice in December and...
• what can you do to make that happen?

Hilary Thompson
The Out and About Therapist

Christmas is over; now what?

We've survived Christmas and now we are in the last few days of the year.A time when I often feel like I am in limbo. The current year is over and the next year has not started yet.

This is a good time for reflection on the year past. To think about all the things that you achieved and learned during the year.Some of which will stand you in good stead for the year ahead.Congratulate yourself on your achievements and forgive yourself for your failures. Failure is after all only feedback and gives us a unique opportunity for learning.

Here are some tips for using the time available to us until after the New Year holiday:

I found  this amazing plant at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens

• Catch up on some jobs that need doing around the house and garden
• For those of us who are sole operators in a small business it is a good time to work on our  marketing strategies for next year. To re-vamp our web sites and set ourselves some goals
• Do something for fun that you often do not have time to do or have never done before
• Spend a whole day in bed or reading a good book without feeling guilty
• If you are not going away on a trip, take time out to be a tourist in your own neighbourhood. One of my favourite places to visit is the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

Thank you to everyone who has read my posts this year. I wish you all a very happy and prosperous year in 2013.

Hilary Thompson
The Out and About Therapist
Facilitator at Flourishing Relationships Retreats

Achievements

The London Olympic Games 2012 are now over. 

I have to admit that I am not a keen sports person or watcher of the Olympics; however, I do have great respect for the dedication, focus and persistence of all the Olympians. 

Whether the athletes win a medal or not, they all deserve our respect as they have achieved a great deal, just to take part in the Olympic Games. In fact the largest achievement of these games in my opinion is that every country represented has for the first time ever sent female athletes to compete; a great step forward towards bringing some balance between the sexes. 

 By the way, I love this image of London Bridge, the Olympic Rings and the full Moon. What a great shot – I wish I had been there to see it!  

Not many of us will achieve the level of an Olympic athlete in our lives and that is ok. But we can all take on board their dedication, persistence and focus to achieve our own goals large or small.

It is, however, important to give ourselves credit for what we can and do achieve. All achievements need to be valued, whether they are large or small.

The Gap in the Fence

For example, I recently scored 10 / 10 points for one of my photographic images; “The Gap in the Fence” at an inter club competition.  

Now, this may not be much of an achievement to some, but one of my goals has been to produce an image that scored 10 points in a Photographic Club competition and I finally did it!

Achieving this goal has given me more confidence in myself as a photographer, and the incentive to keep working on improving the standard of my photography. And most importantly, it made me feel good.

So value your achievements whatever they are. Value the Bronze and Silver as much as the Gold. Stick with what ever it is that you are aiming for and enjoy the journey.

Hilary Thompson

The Out and About Therapist

Facilitator at Flourishing Relationships Retreat