The UK calendar for June is full of garden related themes; Tomato Fortnight, National Growing for Wellbeing and British Flower Week to get us all thinking about getting outdoors. It is the first of the summer months and the air smells different, daring us to make plans for this year's Summer Fete.
Make a note of gratefulness for the dawn chorus that wakens us gently in the early hours, providing us with a choice to get those jobs without being disturbed, or to remain in bed with a ginger and hot water to mull over our plans for the day ahead.
Take some time to be thankful for being able to spend our lunchtimes outside in the sunshine with a cold drink or just to enjoy an ice cream.
Experience gladness as you walk through the hive of activity in the garden, exploding with biodiversity; bees, butterflies, dragonflies and insects of all kinds. The burst of blooms in every hue showing off in the summer sun.
Hooray for the longer days and warmer evenings, perfect for enjoying summertime teas, such as Lavender or Chamomile before we take to our beds.
I know, we don't all have time to enjoy the outdoor life as peacefully as depicted here, but there will be lots of moments when we can. As an Activity Coordinator your job is to encourage and support others to make the most of the summer days, so plan your activities accordingly. July is National Ice Cream Month, so yes, you can spend time sitting in the garden eating an ice cream - that's your job. If you are surrounded by colleagues who think you have it easy, don't let that make you shy away from these fabulous opportunities - time your ice cream party to coincide with their break time - and buy them an ice cream. This is the perfect opportunity for you to show how simple conversations can engage your residents. Talk about a favourite flower that attracts the wildlife, discuss the birds that visit the garden and lead the way in being grateful for their very existence.
Reminisce over days gone by and also plan for the coming months and, of course, for next year. What would you like to plant? Where would you like it to grow? What does your garden need to attract more birds, butterflies and bees?
Everywhere we go and everything we read, it seems that we must focus on being mindful for our wellbeing. Working in the role of Activity Coordinator, Lifestyle Manager, Carer, or indeed any job within the care sector, we are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve or enhance the lives of others, and when we return home our thoughts turn to our family members and friends. This has become an ingrained habit for me and I know from those I've spoken to about this that I am not alone.
So as I work on my own practice of Mindfulness and think about my own Wellbeing, naturally I think of yours too.
And here we are, halfway through the year, still struggling to be 'perfect' (not possible, I'm afraid) and I think this is the golden time to add this into your activities. - A moment for you and those around you to be prompted to take notice of what's happening in nature around you and to be thankful for each moment.
We think it would be lovely if you would create a 'Thankfulness Board' in your workplace and encourage yourself, residents and colleagues to add something to the board each day this week. Ask them to make a note for themselves of how it made them feel, would they like to do it again? Perhaps your 'Thankfulness Board' could become a permanent feature for people to add to whenever they feel 'thankful'. It would make a beautiful feature on your wall.
Our Let’s plan June course (included with our ACT Membership) has lots of ideas for activities around these themes and more. – And don’t worry, not everything has to be done outdoors, we know it can often be miserable weather over the summer too.
Just sign-in and click the preview button. – Like what you see?
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Purchase Let's plan June to keep for £19 or join our membership and get access to the different months and support with your planning as we go through the year – from £95 per year.
Come on, - Let's plan June
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