Lessons from the heat. and no AC.

We've been without air conditioning for over a week. The day we came back from a lovely 10-day vacation at the beach, on the water, we came home to a house that was literally sweltering. Right during a heatwave when temps were well in the 90s with the heat index pushing into the low 100s, our AC went out. Fun! Add in the fact our house is mostly only windows with no shades/blinds and direct sun all day, and you've got, yep, a recipe for cooking humans, I think! So what does a girl like me do with a situation like that?

• I notice.

  
  

And I lean into what lessons, what hidden gems, what messages might be here for me.

This is not to be confused with a head-in-the-sky, only-look-at-everything-with-rose-colored-glasses kind of perspective. Though I understand why it may be confused with that. Instead, this is heartfelt discernment, looking at ALL the information: the good, the not so good, the hopeful, the downright crappy, and yes, the silver linings. Without leaving ANY of it out or hyper-fixating particularly on the negative. See, I can acknowledge, accept, and even complain about the obvious negative side of this situation without choosing to focus or stay there. Instead, I can move through this acknowledgment and consciously choose to change my perspective.

I understand that this might not be possible, appropriate, or even desirable for everyone. But it's for sure the right move for me. And the more I lean into this choice, the more everything... and I mean EVERYTHING... improves.

So what am I leaning into with our broken AC?

• I'm learning to tolerate the heat better

• I'm finding value in sweating (apparently I have a lot to sweat out!)

• I have become a fan of cold showers (trust me: this is HUGE!!)

• I'm excited for the upgrades my home (and I!) will be receiving

• I'm remembering that literal stillness is my best friend.

• I'm slowing down.... a lot.

• I'm staying home and noticing more (cant go anywhere with all the workers coming/going)

• I'm eating way more cold, raw, uncooked foods.

• I'm getting up earlier to walk the dog.

• I'm remembering the temporary nature of setbacks/problems.

• I'm cleaning out closets little bits at a time (cause what else do you do trapped at home for a week? and I can only do little bits at a time because of the heat!)

• I'm enjoying boredom.

It's interesting that this happened right in the middle of a digital detox as well—since I think I otherwise would have gotten sucked deeply into social media in all kinds of ways. The extra unfilled time on my hands could have easily been filled with addictive distraction. It's tempting, but I haven't had enough motivation to dive back in, even in my occasional tedious boredom (limited things I can actually "do" within the circumstances).

And through it all I have this deep sense that I'm somehow evolving "upgrading" my whole energetic system in the process. More clarity. More focus. More understanding.

So sure, I'll sweat it out knowing that this too is only temporary. And finding joy in totally new places as I am pushed outside of my habitual routine. May this shakeup shake loose whatever is old, stagnant, outdated, and no longer useful inside me (as well as my home) to be replaced by something better and more appropriate.

And to be so for real, my husband and I have already joked that when we finally have AC again, we're going to turn the heat to 40 degrees and sleep in parkas. Just because.

Aho!

wishing you cool joy!

blessings

Jeneen