May, as the flowers are blooming and the weather is conducive to getting outside, is a good month to flex your horizon. In this in-between space, before summer – before we get into vacation mode, preferring traveling or lying on the beach or simply doing nothing at all, there’s time for a breeze of change. As you change over and edit your wardrobe, perhaps there’s also time to do a quick check of your thoughts and habits and weed out things that either no longer serve you or that you’ve just put off doing.

Many self-help gurus tell us to say yes. This month, I’m suggesting that you give yourself permission. For example, last year I read a wonderful book called I’m Sorry I’m Late. I Didn’t Want to Come. An introvert who wanted to explore extraversion, the author spent a year saying yes to exploring new things. As an introvert, I applaud her journey. Still, this May I’m exploring saying no more often. I give myself permission to NOT go to everything.

Magazines seem to suggest to me that there’s something wrong with me if my apartment isn’t immaculate and welcoming at all times. Although my mother loved housekeeping – she would rise from her sickbed to clean before anyone got there to take care of her – I did not inherit that trait. I’m fine with some clutter and the occasional dust bunny. I’m finally realizing that I can adjust my schedule to create a space for someone else to do things that I hate that take up much needed time. I remember coming home to a space that smelled like lemon Pledge. I give myself permission to hire a cleaner.

I give myself permission to just pick up and go on meandering walks when the mood strikes. I love uncharted exploration, these joyful outdoor experiences that are not simply part of an exercise routine. I’ve come upon a nesting swan, turtles sunning on a log and unexpected groves that seem to be waiting for the cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to appear.

I give myself permission to put my phone in silent mode at 9:00 every evening. I give myself permission to have a single square of dark chocolate with my cup of tea as I relax in the evening.

These simple permissions help me create an environment in which I have permission to dream – and act on – my biggest dreams. Why not check your list of goals, tasks and fantasies? What will you give yourself permission to do?