Where Does the Time Go?
Aug 1
Written By Dawn Schaefer Stumpf
August has a way of sneaking up on us.
One moment we're welcoming the first days of summer, and the next we're wondering why school supplies have replaced beach towels and Halloween decorations are already lining store shelves.
It can feel as though the season is “slipping through my fingers.” (A sentiment shared frequently last week at my daughter’s wedding from one of our favorite musicals-Mamma Mia.)
There is an unspoken pressure that often arrives with August—the feeling that we need to squeeze every last bit out of summer before it's gone. More vacations. More barbecues. More adventures. More family gatherings. More memories.
Yet in our effort to hold onto the season, we often rush right past the very moments we're trying to preserve.
A yogic mindset gently reminds us that time itself doesn't speed up.
Our attention does.
When our minds are constantly focused on what's next, we miss the beauty of what is happening now. The warmth of the sun on our skin. The sound of children laughing or loons calling outside. The evening breeze through an open window. The simple gift of a slower pace.
Body-Mind Therapy teaches us that our nervous system responds to moments of intentional presence. Slowing down isn't about doing less—it is about EXPERIENCING more. When we pause, breathe, and truly notice our surroundings, we create space for calm, gratitude, and connection.
Perhaps August isn't asking us to fit more into our calendars.
Perhaps it's inviting us to savor what is already here.
Monthly Strategy: The Five-Minute Summer Pause
Choose one moment each day to intentionally slow down.
Step outside if you can.
Take five slow breaths.
Then quietly notice:
One thing you can see.
One thing you can hear.
One thing you can feel.
One thing you can smell.
One thing you are grateful for in this season.
Resist the urge to check your phone or think about what's coming next.
Simply allow yourself to be present.
These few mindful minutes help calm the nervous system while reminding us that the richness of life isn't found in rushing from one moment to another. It's found in fully experiencing the one we're already in.
As summer begins its gentle transition toward autumn, may you give yourself permission to slow your pace, soften your expectations, and soak in the simple joys that are still all around you.
The breeze will soon carry a different season.
For now...
Let it carry your attention back to this one.
Wishing you a peaceful, joy-filled, and present August.
—Dawn
