4 Simple Steps To Avoiding Post-Summer Anxiety

Now that we are almost mid-way through our summer it is a great opportunity to take some time to pause and think about your priorities. Summer can feel like a dream, but there are simple ways to move your mid-summers dream to a reality.

Spending some time evaluating things right now can help you avoid the anxiety that September often brings, and can assist you in moving your visions to reality. You do not have to overwhelm yourself with an elaborate goal setting process, complete with a Martha Stewart vision board and a step by step list of how to achieve all of our goals over the next 12 months.

That would lead you down the dark road of perfectionism and limit your ability to live an exceptional life. Actually, an open mind and a bit of good old common sense is all that is needed right now. The summer is a great time for doing some thinking and once you have put some thought into your vision for the future, the next steps are to identify and evaluate your priorities and create a realistic plan that will move you forward in these areas. In order to achieve this, I offer a simple and practical structure to get you going.

1.Evaluate your relationships. Our connections can both elevate or deflate us. What is the vision you have for the relationships in your life? Who would you like more time with? Which relationships feel balanced? Are there new people or relationships you desire? Who do you need to distance from, since they are actually bringing you down? Make a quick list with four categories headings "More", "Just Right", "Growth" and "Less" and just start throwing names into the categories and see where they land. Do these names match the positions they actually hold in your life? Are there any changes you need to make? Pick one thing to change and then do it!

2.Evaluate your time. What are your top 3 passions and interests? How much of your time is spent on the things that truly nourish you? Do a quick pie diagram and guess how you spend a typical day. Does it match up to your priorities? Get out your schedule and actually mark time in the calendar for your top priorities. If you have lightened your load over the summer this is a great opportunity to spend some time on the interests that nurture you. Make the schedule your friend, not your enemy. It is not realistic to think we can completely abandon the schedule in the summer. I use the calendar on my phone for this activity, as it helps me plan and experience the things that mean the most to me.

3.Evaluate your financial goals. Do not be afraid to look at this aspect of your lives as denial will only lead you further away from achieving you financial goals. Does anything need to change? Are you on the right course? Meet with a financial advisor and utilize their expertise. If you want to get ahead on this one you could use some time this summer to meet with a financial adviser to check in. As they are not as busy in the summer you will get more attention when you review the plan and adjust as needed. This is an example of "information is power": your choices will be empowered if you have the needed information. Each step forward takes you closer to your vision. Remember you do not need to spend a lot of money in order to have a great time in the summer. Sometimes a simple picnic can be the most fun of all.

4.Evaluate your health. How are you feeling physically and mentally? This is a great time to schedule a physical with your doctor and follow up on any of the self-care that you let slip during the busy year. Could a counsellor assist you in developing strategies in regards to your personal growth? Be kind to yourself as there is no movement in beating yourself up about what you have not done. Make a list of the three health practices that bring you joy and growth, and then move towards the things that you love and make you feel alive. The summer is a great time to renew your commitment to your mental and physical health and to just get outside and enjoy the beautiful world we live in.

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Summer Foods You Should Be Eating

1. Corn(01 of08)

Nothing says summer like fresh sweet corn. And did you know that two antioxidants -- lutein and zeaxanthin -- in corn may act like natural sunglasses, helping to form macular pigment that filters out some of the sun's damaging rays? It's true. The same antioxidants may also help lower your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration -- the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60 (though much of the damage occurs decades earlier).More from EatingWell:More Health Benefits of Coffee -- and Cons to Consider Do You Really Need 8 Glasses of Water a Day?4 Natural Fuel Foods for Your Next WorkoutFlickr photo by stevendepolo (credit:Flickr: stevendepolo)

2. Iced Coffee(02 of08)

An iced pick-me-up is a great way to start your summer mornings. Better yet: Drinking a single cup of coffee daily may lower your risk of developing skin cancer. In one study of more than 93,000 women, published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, those who drank one cup of caffeinated coffee a day reduced their risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer by about 10 percent. And the more they drank -- up to about six cups or so per day -- the lower their risk. Decaf didn't seem to offer the same protection.Flickr photo by Marco Arment (credit:Flickr: Marco Arment)

3. Tart Cherries(03 of08)

They deliver a host of health benefits. You may have heard that drinking tart cherry juice can help you get a better night's sleep and quell post-workout pain. But did you know that compounds in tart cherries may also help you slim down and get leaner? When scientists at the University of Michigan Health System put rats on a high-fat diet supplemented with either a tart-cherry powder (equal to 1 percent of the weight of their total diet) or the same number of calories from carbohydrate, those that got the cherry powder gained less weight and body fat. Why? The anthocyanins in tart cherries activate a molecule that helps rev up fat-burning and decrease fat storage.Flickr photo by kusine (credit:Flickr: kusine)

4. Tomatoes(04 of08)

There's no question that sunscreen should be your first line of defense against the blazing summer sun. But eating tomatoes could give you a little extra protection: Consuming more lycopene -- the carotenoid that makes tomatoes red -- may protect your skin from sunburn. In one study, participants who were exposed to UV light had almost 50 percent less skin reddening after they ate 2½ tablespoons of tomato paste (or drank about 1⅔ cups of carrot juice daily), in addition to their regular diet, for 10 to 12 weeks. Supplements, however, weren't as effective: In the same study, those who received a lycopene supplement or synthetic lycopene weren't significantly protected against sunburn.Flickr photo by cbertel (credit:Flickr: cbertel)

5. Watermelon(05 of08)

Staying hydrated keeps your memory sharp and your mood stable. It also helps keep your body cool (by sweating) during hot summer months. The good news is that you don't just have to drink water. You can eat it, too: In addition to delivering skin-protecting lycopene, watermelon is 92 percent water (hence the name). Another boon? Research shows that eating foods that are full of water helps keep you satisfied on fewer calories. (Interestingly enough, drinking water alongside foods doesn't have the same effect.)Flickr photo by Kanko* (credit:Flickr: Kanko*)

6. Raspberries(06 of08)

Raspberries are a great source of fiber -- some of it soluble in the form of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol. One cup of raspberries has eight grams of fiber -- and a study in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating more fiber may help prevent weight gain or even promote weight loss. Over the course of a two-year study, researchers found that when study participants boosted their fiber by eight grams for every 1,000 calories, they lost about 4½ pounds. Try it for yourself. If you're consuming 2,000 calories per day, aim to increase your fiber by 16 grams.Flickr photo by www.bluewaikiki.com (credit:Flickr: www.bluewaikiki.com)

7. Iced Tea(07 of08)

Sure, a tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is refreshing, but did you know it might also do your body good? Studies show if you drink tea regularly, you may lower your risk of Alzheimer's and diabetes, plus have healthier teeth and gums and stronger bones. How? Tea is rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids. Regardless of the variety -- black, green, oolong, white or herbal -- maximize the power of tea's flavonoids by drinking it freshly brewed. If you want to keep a batch of cold tea in your refrigerator, "add a little lemon juice," recommends Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. The citric acid and vitamin C in that squeeze of lemon -- or lime, or orange -- help preserve the flavonoids.Flickr photo by Kanko* (credit:Flickr: Kanko*)

8. Blueberries(08 of08)

Fresh blueberries straight from the berry patch are a special treat! Turns out the antioxidants in them may help ward off muscle fatigue by mopping up the additional free radicals that muscles produce during exercise, according to recent research out of New Zealand.More from EatingWell:More Health Benefits of Coffee -- and Cons to Consider Do You Really Need 8 Glasses of Water a Day?4 Natural Fuel Foods for Your Next WorkoutFlickr photo by jdavis (credit:Flickr: jdavis)

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4 Simple Steps To Avoiding Post-Summer Anxiety

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