Two weeks ago, the official start of Summer occurred on June 20th.  Marked by the Summer Solstice, the sun reached its northernmost path in the sky, providing the most light to those who live in the Northern Hemisphere.  The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).  Due to the Earth’s tilted axis, the path of the sun becomes higher or lower and changes locations on the horizon each morning and evening throughout the year.  During the solstice, the sun’s path does not change for a brief period of time before it reverses course and heads the opposite direction. 

This got me thinking about the places in my life where I’m standing still.  I think stillness is different from being stuck.  When you are stuck, there are barriers holding you back or indecision that has set in.  There is something powerful about stillness.  Stillness is the ability to take in information without needing to make a knee jerk reaction.  It’s staying calm under pressure.  A still mind is focused, not chaotic.  Even physical stillness can serves us.  There are times when I find myself fidgeting, or bouncing my leg and when I catch myself, take a deep breath and relax, there is a sense of calm that comes over me and puts me in a better state of mind to tackle what’s next.  Often, we move to avoid discomfort, yet when we sit in that uncomfortable state, it can present our greatest opportunity to grow.

It’s also fitting that the Summer Solstice coincides roughly with the midway point of the year.  A time when I like to reflect on what I’ve accomplished and take stock of the progress I’ve made on my annual goals.  Unlike the sun on the Summer Solstice, rarely do I find that I’ve hit my “northernmost point” for the year at this time.  Even in years when great things have occurred in the first six months of the year, it has served as something to build on, not a point to regress from.  There will always be high’s and low’s in our lives, but if we are truly committed to “MIBE-ing” ourselves, our leadership, and our impact, then the overall trajectory of up and to the right will put us at a higher point as the months pass and time goes on.  

As we take inspiration from the Sun’s annual cycle, I encourage you to find some stillness in your life.  Maybe it is scheduling an hour for reflection on your calendar, maybe meditation serves you, or maybe it’s simply some time outside enjoying the extra daylight. And as you find a bit of peace, I hope it fuels you to think about what you will accomplish between now and the next six months.  Have you hit your peak?  Or are you simply at your halfway “MIBE” point for the year?

SUMMER UPDATES:

• On August 1st, registration opens for the MIBE Summit: January 26-28th, 2025

• We still have some spots available for the MIBE Workshop: August 5-6th, 2024

• We are excited to launch MIBE Retreats: November 16-20th, 2024