Cultivating Summer Joy

Sister Circle

Jun 23

By Kishara Joy Griffin, MSW, Sister Circle Therapist

Summer is officially here. Who else hears Will Smith’s “Summertime” playing in the back of their mind? The sun is sunning, the birds are birding, and everything feels like warmth! One of the beautiful things about this season is the opportunity it offers: joy. The chance to cultivate summer joy is available to all of us. I know … for some, joy might feel out of reach — especially in light of the current political climate. If the idea of cultivating joy feels distant or even impossible right now, I got you.

Let’s start with a word we don’t always associate with joy: cultivate.

According to Merriam-Webster, the word “cultivate” is a verb meaning: to prepare and use for the raising of crops; to foster the growth of through labor, care, or study; to further or encourage.

Thinking about the initial definition of “cultivate” in the context of farming (“to prepare and use for the raising of crops”) created a beautiful imagery of summer vibes for me. Needless to say, reflecting on the definition of “cultivate,” I've learned about the magnificent preparation process required to grow crops. This process involves the tilling of the soil. Additionally, farmers cultivate crops by planting seeds and providing crop care, which includes watering, controlling pests and weeds, and monitoring the crop's health. Caring for the planted seed allows the crop to grow in its entirety. This farming cultivation process can also be applied to cultivating summer joy.

Tilling the Soil

Part of the preparation process in farming is tilling the soil. This effort allows the farmer to break up the dirt, creating space for air, water, and the room each seed needs as its roots settle into the earth. If we applied this aspect of a farmer's preparation process to our own steps toward cultivating joy, we might see how it encourages us to till our own soil. Not literally — but figuratively speaking, it invites us to open our minds and hearts to the seeds of joy.

Our imagination may be one of the most powerful tools in our self-care toolkit — an essential tool to help till the way to joy. With time, we can dream up the kind of summer we want, imagining the possibilities of joy as we shape our own desires.

A practical way to engage this imagination is by writing a list of small adventures you'd like to go on. This can be as close to home as walking around the block to people-watch, or visiting Washington Park to swim in the pool just to reconnect with the nostalgic Black Charlottesville summer vibe.

As Remy Ma would say, "It's whatever — get it poppin’."

The tilling of our own soil (our minds) opens us to joy, and moments of laughter found in connection with others. It nurtures our autonomy (freedom) to explore the thoughts that bring us closer to joy. The tilling of our own soil allows us to plant the seeds of our imagination, and to become rooted in our desire, joy.

Watering the Seeds of Joy

As a farmer may water their crops, watering our seeds of joy is equally important. When farmers water their crops, it allows the plant to absorb the nutrients needed to grow. Watering our own seeds of joy will be the same. It's akin to the trial-and-error phase of life. Seeing the variety in explorable options gives the opportunity for you to find the things that bring you joy.

Having a variety of experiences with one activity is so helpful in the exploration process. What might this look like!? Oh, you like swimming, but the pool near your home doesn't seem like the best fit. Have you tried out the other two within proximity?

May I share a story about that time I went on a carrot tour? YES!?

Look, I knew I wanted carrot cake, but I wasn't sure which type I wanted, so, I visited a different store in the area each week and tried slices of their carrot cake. Childddd, the flavors were everything! Not only did I enjoy the flavorful comfort of carrot cake, but it opened me up to random conversations with the people in my life about my experience being on the quest for the best carrot cake in Charlottesville. For me, I learned that having variety within a given experience produced quality time toward nurturing the curiosity I had while cultivating my tiny piece of joy.

Now if this isn't your thing, another way to water your seeds of joy is tapping into your bag of gratitude. Gratitude retrains your mind to find the good in yourself and within your surroundings. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states on their website, "Gratitude can increase your happiness and well-being, life satisfaction, even overall health while decreasing the stuff we all want less of like anxiety, depression, and anger." The practice of gratitude alone allows one to maintain presence in the short moments of joy and serves as a tool to combat dissatification within your experiences. With gratitude, we can extend those moments of joy by reflecting and celebrating the small wins we have acquired through the watering of our seeds of joy.

By adding variety and gratitude into the process of cultivating summer joy, we can engage in the very small pieces of life that breathe into our curiosity and perspective as we water our seeds of joy.

Monitoring the Crops’ Health

Farmers spend a lot of time preparing for the outcomes of healthy crops and nutrient-filled vegetation. While managing the system of farming, farmers tend to monitor the crops to ensure a smooth harvest. One of the ways farmers monitor crops is through visual inspection: looking at the crops for growth, tracking progress, and determining if the sprouting seeds need additional maintenance.

Much like the farmers, we can cultivate our summer joy by engaging ourselves in the most practical way: self-check-ins.

Self-check-ins can be helpful in cultivating summer joy because they contribute to our overall well-being. With a self-check-in tool in place, you can develop a sense of awareness that supports you in flowing through your summer days with a stronger connection to your needs. If you don’t have a self-check-in tool, you are welcome to use the one I created to support:

CROP Self-Check-In Tool

C – Care
Ask yourself: What is one way I can show myself care today?
This can be physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental care. When we feel cared for, that feeling contributes to our joy.

R – Release
Ask yourself: What is one thing I can release today?
Oftentimes, we find ourselves overextended with work tasks or family priorities. Asking what can be removed from your day can help relieve stress and increase your joy as you move through the summer.

O – Observation
Ask yourself: What is one thing I can observe in my life, environment, or surroundings — without judgment — that brings a sense of joy? This is a practice of gratitude to enhance our sense of joy.

P – Permission
Engage in the autonomy (freedom) to give yourself permission to be or not to be! Allowing yourself permission to feel joy eliminates internal barriers to the joyful experience. It serves as a reminder of your power and abilities. It becomes the pathway between you and the cultivation of your joy.

This check-in tool does not have to be used all at the same time. It doesn’t have to be used in the same month — or at all. However, if needed, it will be in this blog piece as a reference point for those who would like a way to “monitor their crops.”

Hold on. Let's pause; I don't want the summer vibes to fade away from the intrusive thoughts of "doing the work.” As a reminder, the act of cultivating joy does not have to be the primary focus of the summer. Yet, there may be a benefit to leaning into the process. The cultivation of joy is rooted in a deep sense of its existence and is secured through the possibilities it may hold. We can take the seeded imagination of joy and cultivate its presence within our lives, if we want to!