Even with the sun shining and the birds happily chirping do you feel a little flat and meh because you haven’t been around your people for awhile?
I sure do.
Being a summer girl gives me all sorts of perks from lake swimming to road trips to warm night star gazing. But even with all these summer perks, if I am not seeing my peeps regularly, then I feel off.
Maybe it is the summer vibes everyone is feeling at the same time, or seeing the return of farm fresh veggies at the local stands or the smell of freshly cut grass everywhere screaming for some BBQ attention — whatever it is, I LOVE GATHERING.
💛 Gathering to me has always been in my blood as our farm families gravitated to the kitchen tables after a long hard working day on the fields —–with hardy feasts including family, friends and neighbors being stuffed and squished in around that kitchen table.
Or in my case, and maybe you too — around the picnic table. All squished in cozy like.
Besides the obvious of loving every single minute spent with the people I admire and who make me belly laugh…I pause and reflect why gatherings lift my spirit and energy so extra extra high.
And I am talking all gatherings from work meetings to birthday celebrations to just because the sun is out type gatherings. Yes, even work meetings!
Reading some of the positive psychology research behind all this gathering liveliness — it is now making sense why I am so amped up about gatherings.
⭐Behavioral social bonds can influence our health habits and longevity
⭐Social support can reduce stress and enhance emotional and psychological wellbeing, positively influencing health behaviors and physical health
⭐Physiological positive relationships can boost cardiovascular, immune, and endocrine responses, which can affect longevity and health in the long run
Heck yeah! Next time my husband starts complaining about all the “gatherings” we keep hosting, I will tell him it is good for our health, ha.
If you are feeling a little disconnected or a little socially distant these days, consider a little gathering time with your friends, network and family. Get squishy around that picnic table for a little living lively injection. If you want some gathering creative ideas, check this juicy list out to get you started on some inspo! https://www.thebash.com/articles/summer-party-ideas
Happy gathering!