What Is August Good For?

Dear Reader,

Today I am going to share with you three ways to transform your life in August – but first, a confession.

I used to hate the month of August. When I was a kid, it was my least favorite month because it just seemed long and hot. Summer baseball had ended; school hadn’t started yet, and everything felt slow. Later, when I was first living and dancing in New York, August felt even hotter. The tall buildings trapped the heat, leaving the air sweltering and humid even at midnight. The smell of ripe garbage hung in the air. And everybody left town.

After a few years of struggling with August, I stopped fighting the heat – and that’s when my outlook changed. I slowed down. Literally, I slowed my walking pace through the streets of Manhattan (not easy) and I slowed down in how much I tried to accomplish during the month. I started attending more of the free, outdoor performances around the city, hanging out in Central Park, and sitting at outdoor cafes in the early evening with a good book.

I eventually grew to love August, and I still do. Which leads me to… three ways to transform your life in August.

1. Practice being fully present. This skill is related to slowing down. We often spend a great deal of time moving too fast, trying to get too much done, and thinking too much. With all the activity, we block ourselves from hearing our own inner voice of wisdom – and we don’t even realize it. The heat and slower pace of August provide a perfect opportunity to cultivate the gift of being fully present to what is going on within and around us. Have no doubt: this skill is the single most powerful tool for transformation you can develop.
2. Take the time to learn something new. I started to set aside portions of August to study, do audio programs and go to workshops. It was in August that I first studied with my intuitive teacher, Sonia Choquette, at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. That first workshop changed my entire life.
3. Explore your inner life in August. Whether you are on vacation or working full-out, the overall slower pace can provide windows of opportunity to reflect and ask yourself the big questions. Who am I really? Who am I being? Am I living the life I want to live? The year is more than half over; August is a good time to look back and reflect on what you have experienced so far, and look ahead at what you would like to experience once the pace quickens again in September.

There you have it, dear reader; three practices for you this month: cultivate the ability to be fully present; learn something new; and explore your inner life. Just imagine what might shift for you by the time September arrives!

To celebrate the first full week of August, and to help you jumpstart these practices, I will be posting every morning this week with questions and reflections. Here’s to the final fullness of summer, along with all the opportunity it holds!

I honor your loving heart,

John