Why Summer Feels Like Home to My Soul
There are people who count down the days until autumn.
They dream about sweaters, pumpkin candles, crisp air, and cozy blankets.
Me?
I'm counting down to summer before winter has even ended.
The first truly warm morning feels like someone quietly whispering, "Welcome back."
I know that probably sounds funny to someone who lives where the heat can become almost unbearable. Arizona summers certainly have a reputation. But for me, summer has never simply been about the temperature.
It's about the feeling.
It's the sunlight that lingers a little longer each evening, making me believe there's still enough time for one more walk, one more conversation, one more chapter in my journal.
It's the warmth that settles onto my shoulders like a familiar embrace.
It's opening the windows early in the morning before the day fully arrives and catching that scent that only summer seems to carry.
Have you ever noticed it?
The fragrance of warmed earth...
Fresh-cut grass...
Leaves soaking in the sunshine...
Flowers quietly blooming nearby...
There isn't a candle I've ever found that truly captures it.
It's almost impossible to describe because it isn't one fragrance.
It's dozens of tiny scents blending together beneath the sunlight.
Those are the undernotes of summer.
And every year they remind me to pay attention.
One of the greatest gifts summer gives me isn't just happiness.
It's presence.
When the days are brighter, I naturally spend more time outside. I linger on my patio with coffee. I water my flowers a little slower. I stop to admire sunflowers that somehow always seem to make me smile.
I don't rush quite as much.
And isn't that interesting?
The season itself hasn't changed me.
It simply creates an environment where it's easier for me to become the version of myself I enjoy the most.
The version that notices.
The version that breathes.
The version that isn't racing toward the next thing.
I've learned over the years that positivity doesn't mean pretending life is perfect.
It doesn't mean ignoring difficult seasons.
It doesn't mean forcing a smile when your heart feels heavy.
To me, positivity is something much quieter.
It's choosing to keep looking for light.
Sometimes that light is a breakthrough.
Sometimes it's hope.
Sometimes it's healing.
And sometimes...
it's simply sunshine filtering through the trees while you're carrying groceries into the house.
I've always believed joy leaves clues.
The things that consistently make your shoulders relax...
The places where your nervous system finally exhales...
The moments that make you smile for no particular reason...
Those aren't random.
They're invitations.
Summer has always been one of those invitations for me.
Maybe that's one of the reasons sunflowers have become such a meaningful symbol in my life and my work.
People often ask why I use them so much.
The answer is simple.
Sunflowers don't apologize for turning toward the light.
They don't question whether they're worthy of it.
They don't wait until everything around them is perfect before they bloom.
They simply respond to what nourishes them.
I think we're invited to do the same.
Inner authority isn't only revealed during life's biggest decisions.
Sometimes it's found in the smallest choices.
Choosing to eat lunch outside.
Taking the scenic route home.
Buying yourself fresh flowers.
Watching the sunrise instead of scrolling your phone.
Standing barefoot in the grass.
Giving yourself permission to linger just a little longer in moments that make you feel alive.
Those small decisions become a way of saying,
"This life matters."
"I matter."
"Joy matters."
The older I become, the more I realize life isn't measured only by milestones.
It's measured by moments.
Tiny moments.
Warm mornings.
Blooming gardens.
The scent of jasmine floating through the evening air.
Coffee on the patio.
The sound of birds before the neighborhood wakes up.
These moments won't make headlines.
But they quietly shape a beautiful life.
That's what summer reminds me every single year.
Not to chase happiness.
To notice it.
So, if you're anything like me, I hope you allow yourself to soak up a little more sunshine this season.
Open the windows.
Take the walk.
Buy the flowers.
Sit outside a little longer than you planned.
Notice the undernotes.
Because sometimes the life we've been searching for has been waiting for us in the warmth all along.
Continue the Journey
If this reflection resonated with you, I invite you to continue the journey.
Explore these reflection tools, Where Life Is Asking for Care or The Aligned Life Snapshot to notice where joy, beauty, and presence are inviting you to slow down this season.
Explore The Companion Collection, a curated library of guided journals, reflection tools, and intentional practices designed to help you move from awareness to integration to embodiment.
Whether you're seeking greater clarity, a fresh perspective, or simply a quiet moment to reconnect with yourself, you'll find companions for every season of your journey.
