Make late summer about you

You’ve heard it a million times: Put on your oxygen mask first.

You can only be of true service to others once you’ve taken care of yourself.

Despite knowing this, so many of us put other people’s needs before our own. We do it in our families and friend groups, at work, even with acquaintances and total strangers to ease social situations.

Late summer is the perfect time to give yourself permission to prioritize yourself.

If that’s hard for you to take in, I’ve got a bonafide, time-tested justification for putting yourself first.

It’s Earth season

In Chinese medicine, late summer—mid-August through the first day of fall—is considered a distinct season with its own associated element, Earth.

Here’s an oversimplified way to think about this:

In each season, the volume gets turned up on the associated element. The element’s characteristics—both strengths and vulnerabilities—become more pronounced.

This is one reason you might notice yourself thinking, feeling, and acting differently in different seasons, despite no other significant changes in your life.

During late summer, Earth qualities can be especially exacerbated for people whose Primary Element is Earth. However, during an element’s associated season, we are all prone to an uptick in these characteristics.

Earth qualities are ones that make you great at taking care of other people—and not so great at taking care of yourself.

Earthy types are the ones people turn to. Their selfless, nourishing presence makes everyone around them feel cared for. They create a calmness and centeredness that draws people in and makes them feel “at home.”

Earth types also have vulnerabilities: Excessive rumination and worrying, self-sacrificing tendencies, fixations on other people’s problems, and neglecting their own needs.

Make yourself part of your caretaking routine

All the Earthiness in the late-summer air creates a natural pull toward caretaking. It’s fine to embrace that if it’s serving you.

If it feels like a burden or like something you resent, or you notice you spend basically no time doing anything just for you, recognize that your Earth element may have tipped out of balance.

Here are some ways to support your Earth energy:

Journal on these questions

What makes me feel nourished?
Who takes care of me?
Do I feel understood by the people in my life?

Make food sacred

An out-of-balance Earth element can create problems with digestion. This can be physical digestion of food as well as emotional digestion, the ability to take in life experiences and turn them into something useful.

Bringing more consciousness to your meals supports physical and emotional digestion. This can include using organic ingredients, taking a moment of gratitude before eating, or having a post-meal ritual like a digestive tea.

Move your body

Worry and excessive rumination, common Earthy traits, tie you in knots—emotionally and physically.

Incorporating more movement into your life helps break up emotional and physical stuckness. It doesn't have to be intense or long. Walk, bike, jog, do yoga, stretch, whatever works for you.

Do anything your heart desires

The suggestions above are small things to get you started, in case your Earth vulnerabilities are so pronounced that it’s hard for you to think of ways to prioritize yourself.

My number-one recommendation is to do whatever you damn please.

Book a vacation.
Invest in your personal development.
Call a friend who makes you laugh.
Work if you love it.
Take a nap.

If you need an excuse, blame it on nature! Late summer urges us to counteract the Earth tendency to focus on others to the detriment of ourselves.

Do as nature intended and make late summer the season of you.