Hot and Bothered

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It’s 33 degrees in Melbourne today. Arguably the hottest day we’ve had in months, and my body and brain are not coping.

You’d think growing up near the equator (in a small mining town on the Gulf of Carpentaria with the most magical sunsets you’ll ever see, and most scorching summers you’ll ever experience) I would be prepared for this. But no, I have acclimatised, something I was previously proud of during winter, but now that the heat is back, my body is longing for the days of layers and heaters and blankets.

Thankfully, I am a seasoned professional when it comes to the heat. I know what to do, and when to do it: Get your chores done early, before the sun hits its peak. Hair up, always. Lunchtime cold showers to break up the heat. Lemonade ice blocks on constant supply. Loose clothing, nothing synthetic, light as can be. Sunscreen. Retreat indoors until an hour until sunset. Make sure the ice cubes are filled. Do as little as possible. Naps are encouraged.

Yeah, I’ve got that down pat. But when it comes to creating or doing business stuff I still struggle. The heat gets to me. All I want to do is lay under an air con watching tv shows from my adolescence (currently it’s Gossip Girl). But I also hate feeling stagnant, or letting exterior forces get the better of me.

So can we do when our bodies want to hibernate but our creativity wants to dance? We compromise, of course.

Today that looks like doing the bare minimum during the day, and being open to receiving new ideas and downloads for the new project I’ve started building. It means choosing tasks that I can do quickly, or in short bursts, and being kind to myself. It means tuning into my energy and taking a good hard look at what I should be doing vs what I want to do.

You might not be in the same position as I am – a position that I do not take for granted, ever – but I reckon you can apply my thinking to your own days.

When it gets too hot, or your energy is lower than usual, or you’re feeling depleted, where can you simplify your days? What can you strip back to make things easier for yourself? Do you really need to do it all today – or is that just a story you’ve been telling yourself?

Whatever answers arise, know that you’re allowed to take things slow. To shift gears and consciously opt out. Everything you think you need to do will still be there tomorrow. Your energy and health should always come first.

Love, Viv

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