June: Summer Solstice

June 2024

Welcome, Summertime!  Today marks the turning of the seasons into summer.  Summertime is just different — more sunshine, longer days, warmer temps, spontaneity, and fun.

It’s as if everything comes fully awake and alive, inviting you to wake up and come alive as well.

Meditation for Embracing Summertime
Try this meditation to tune in and connect with the aspects of summer that are awake and alive within you.

  1. Find a comfortable seat on your couch, chair, or in your favorite place in nature.
  2. Settle into your body by connecting with your breath—slowly inhaling through your nose, slowly exhaling through your mouth. Notice how your body and mind begin to soften and relax.
  3. Visualize yourself someplace in nature during the early summer. You might be walking along a river bank, sitting in the shade beneath your favorite tree, or standing barefoot in the grass.
  4. Allow the light and warmth of the sun to permeate you. Maybe you feel a light breeze across your face and the sound of trickling water or birds chirping from the trees in the distance. You might pick up the scent of jasmine coming from your garden, or wildflowers along the river’s edge. Breathe in the balmy warmth of the summer air and settle more deeply into a relaxed state.
  5. Begin now to open your heart and mind to what is possible this summer. Imagine the light of the sun illuminating the corners in your mind where you haven’t ventured in a while. Invite yourself to dream of:
    • What lights you up, or makes you come alive?
    • What ignites your creativity?
    • What environment do you thrive in most and what do you love doing?
    • What would you like to create or transform this summer?
  6. Imagine doing something so wildly spontaneous that it breaks you free from your current routine and catapults you toward something new, exciting, and fun. If you could create anything in your life, what would that be? Would you dare to do?
    • Travel someplace new (even if it’s just a day trip or a weekend getaway)?
    • Take up a new hobby like surfing, gardening, painting, or horseback riding?
    • Make new connections through social groups and activities?
    • Try new things by saying “Yes” to every invite you get this summer?
  7. Bring it all together in a visualized picture or movie clip and watch yourself embracing the fun of summer. See yourself interacting with others, having new adventures, and allowing your playful, childlike nature to come alive. Now, ask yourself what you need to do to make it all a reality. What action do you need to take that is different from how you are living now?
  8. Now, as you embrace summer and feel into the excitement of what you can create for yourself, make a commitment to doing one new thing each day or each week that lights you up and makes you happy.
  9. When you feel ready, take a few slow, deep breaths and slowly open your eyes. Take out your journal and a pen and write down the things you are committed to doing this summer that will ignite your passion, fuel your creativity, and lead to loads of spontaneity and fun.

Summer is more than the fun things you do—it’s how you go about the things you do and the intention behind them. Are you doing things that fulfill you, bring you more joy, and connect you more deeply to others? Are you saying yes to adventure and taking in every moment of every experience and savoring life every day?

Summer is about expansion—getting out there—and really going for it. It’s about living life with fervor, allowing yourself to be wild and free and to do those things that, until now, you’ve filed away in your ‘someday’ list. Embrace your summer season in a way that supports you in having a harmony between relaxing downtime and having meaningful, amazing experiences.

Happy June & Happy Summer!

— Adapted from chopra.com

Moments of Gratitude

Testimonials

You helped me immensely today.  Had a rough go of it, but before I spiraled I found a dark quiet room and listened to your 9-minute recording on mindfulness. Thank you!

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John Wilkerson

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Are you stressed, burned out, anxious?  Lack clarity and focus?  Kerrie Lauck, a masterful mindfulness coach and trainer, can help you increase your clarity, resilience, and, balance, by teaching you simple mindfulness techniques that you can do on your own. I have experienced her magic one-on-one and in groups.  She’s mesmerizing with her soothing voice and pacing.  I experienced her at a Southwest Airlines forum where she led a group of 50 or so in mindfulness training using her soothing voice and down-to-earth approach. They agreed her presentation was the best of the day.

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Katherine Bock

Executive Coach
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This workplace course has helped me so much in managing my response to the craziness at city hall.  I was so disappointed the training was over when we got to the last session.

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Elected City Official

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“I’m so thrilled at your new profession!  I love your Facebook mindfulness tips and feel you are perfect for this path.  I couldn’t have been as effective a legislator without you, not just in your exceptional research and writing skills and legal knowledge, but also because every time I left your office, I felt energized and ready to enter the ring again and push forward.  You ALWAYS helped me with my present to move to the immediate future, and that was the best present of all.”

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Lindsley Smith

Attorney, Author, Retired Professor
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former State Representative

Just watched the recording of your session and wanted to say how good you are at this! You’re clearly in your zone and I love that you decided to follow your heart and your calling. I can only imagine how daunting taking that step must have been. I’m so proud of you and what you’re doing—it’s invaluable, as are you!

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Kristen Speer

Licensed Professional Counselor
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It feels so good to be working with you.  You are so soothing – even just the way you breathe makes me feel better.

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Shea H.

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After knowing Kerrie for a decade, I am so glad to see her giving herself full time to an endeavor that makes use of her considerable empathy. I often relate within our community how intensely and completely Kerrie enters into each conversation, absorbing the needs and perspective of the speaker with startling focus. I can't imagine a better qualified person for this profession and will happily refer my own community to her for guidance on the journey toward mindfulness!

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Sensei Tanner Critz

Owner
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Unity Martial Arts

Do you know what I do when something major happens and I want to lash out? I ask myself: what would Kerrie do?

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Practice Group participant

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Man, thank you for that session, Kerrie. I knew it would be a good use of time, but it hit home in some unexpected ways, right from the very first practice when I greeted myself. It was very, very useful and I'd love to do the full [mindfulness-based self-compassion] course.

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Matt R.

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I have known Kerrie for over 10 years. I have admired her gentle wisdom and ability to be totally present. Her personal practice of mindfulness has shaped her life and helped her ability to gracefully navigate life's challenges. I am thrilled she has chosen to share these gifts to a broader circle of people. As a retired psychiatric nurse and fellow mindfulness practitioner, I wholeheartedly recommend the services of Kerrie Lauck and KLauckwork as a resource for personal growth!

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Margot Cameron

RN, MSN
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Kerrie has such an incredible way about her: a soft but firm confidence and the best voice I’ve ever heard. Our team enjoyed the sessions very much and want to do it again next year.

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Small business owner

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Kerrie Lauck is an absolute treasure. She carries such wisdom, expertise, kindness, and professionalism in her life and work and has blended it all together into a powerful vision that impacts individuals as well as workplace culture. Kerrie gently works to help us live more fully mindful of the present moment so we can live from a place of truth, more aware of our connectedness with others and also more aware of the connectedness between our mind and our actions. Kerrie works with diverse groups of people and has shown her capacity to engage with and empower others. She is grounded, full of joy, and one of those rare few with whom I always leave feeling like a better version of myself.

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Elisabeth Cooper

PA-C
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Bringing Kerrie in to provide a mindfulness training was such a meaningful investment into our People. At Southwest, we prioritize caring for our Employees, and providing practical ways for them to also do so for themselves. The first time I went through a session with Kerrie outside of my department, I knew it was something we needed to bring to my direct group of Co-hearts. The airline industry can be stressful and overwhelming, even in the best of times. This pandemic has wreaked havoc on our world and definitely our industry, so the opportunity to give our People a chance to take a break and learn to focus on themselves in a fruitful way could not have been more timely. Kerrie is extremely relatable both on and off the stage, making her the ideal facilitator for mindfulness practice. I cannot recommend her enough, and count her a true friend!

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Devan Webb

Southwest Airlines
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Mindfulness training with Kerrie has been a revelation to me. I had taken a course in the past but never achieved the understanding of and ability to practice mindfulness as I have with Kerrie. Her exercises and practice recordings have given me a readily accessible path to use anytime. Her encouragement and excitement gave me a desire to practice on my own. Mindfulness really is an investment in yourself and a solid plan for improvement in your life.

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Cathy Duncan

National Special Education Trainer
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I recently completed a workplace series of sessions with Kerrie and have found so many of the things I learned to be extremely helpful in my work and just day to day life. The tips, the practices, the stories and Kerrie’s unbelievable calm and soothing nature have been a huge comfort in this crazy life. I would highly recommend that your workplace schedule time with Kerrie.

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Lee Ann Dietz

Management Consultant
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The manager I sent to work with you for stress told me that this is the best thing I’ve ever done for her!

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Retail business owner

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I’ve been in therapy for years, but I got more out of Kerrie’s mindfulness-based self-compassion program in 2 months than I did in all those years. Since I’ve done the program, I just have loved these last few weeks because my insides feel better. I’m learning to stop and ask myself what I need.

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Sara B.

Individual Client
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We’ve had great feedback about your program.

For example, an employee had a scary medical emergency recently. As she was about to go into an MRI machine to see if she was having a stroke, frantic with worry and claustrophobic, she said she thought of your sessions and began one of the breathing exercises you taught. She told our HR director that practicing the mindfulness techniques you taught saved her sanity and helped her remain calm during a multi-day hospitalization and medical crisis.

In addition to the in-person and Zoom attendees, I’m aware of a number of people who watch the recordings afterward and review your materials. Altogether, I think we had 30-50 people engaged in at least one or more of the sessions. I consider this to be a big success, as it is always a struggle to get people engaged in workplace wellness programs. Sometimes, even the offer of a free lunch won’t get people to show up! The fact that so many continued to attend and watch the videos after the first session is a testament to your good work.

Although I still need to catch up by watching the last couple of videos, I’ve personally used what I learned in the first couple of sessions on several occasions. Specifically, when my brain gets onto the hamster wheel of the “story of me” (which is usually negative and generally during my commute or while trying to fall asleep at night), I tell myself to close the book and focus on what’s around me – what I see, hear, smell, and feel. It has been especially helpful to short-circuit the Sunday scaries, which I get pretty much every Sunday night.

Your work changes lives!

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Adrienne Baker

Former Chief Operating Officer
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Wright Lindsey Jennings

Last week's mindfulness session was great! I wasn't sure if I would be able to meditate virtually with a group, but I was pleasantly surprised.

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Practice Group participant

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My teenage son and I have participated in several mindfulness exercises with Kerrie, and I have worked with her one on one. We always looked forward to her guidance and left feeling light, grounded, and recharged. She has a true gift; her calm presence, soothing voice, and warm soul make the practice of centering effortless. We can't recommend her enough!

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Emilie Rowland

Individual Client
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