Embracing Change: Strategies for Thriving During Life's Transitions

As the seasons are beginning to change, it has me thinking about what a great teacher nature can be. If you know me, you know how much I love nature, animals, and the cycles of the planet. Here in the desert where I live, the mornings are beginning to be colder. Daytime temperatures are still hot, but the cooler mornings are letting us know that a change is coming. We can feel it. So what do seasons teach us? They teach us to accept change, but also that change doesn't always come when or how we like.

I grew up in Minnesota, and there were many winters that seemed to last forever. By the time spring came around, we were more than ready. By March in Minnesota, the snow had usually melted, and we could see the ground again. But sometimes that didn't happen. We were eager to go outside without jackets, to breath air that didn't freeze our lungs, and to begin new activities. But, some years when the winter dragged on... we had to wait.

Conversely, many years we would be into December and there was no snow yet. By the time we'd gone though October, the leaves had changed and the temperatures were cold, the ducks had departed for the south, we were ready for snow. It was something new and fun, it made everything look and feel fresh, new. There were numerous winter activities we couldn't wait to start ice skating, sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing (I didn't do that one) but to do those you need the freeze to come. I remember many years as a kid, fearing we wouldn't have a white Christmas and wondering what that would be like.

Mark Twain once said the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. I used to live in San Francisco. The warm temperatures of the Bay Area pull in the cold air from the Pacific and it sits right on top of San Francisco all summer. The fog would come in every afternoon like clockwork and sit on top of the city about 4 pm. It also wouldn't burn off until late morning. It was cold! My body was programmed to expect summer to be sunshine, fresh air and fun. I think I only lasted one summer before I departed for the sunshine and warmth of Palo Alto.

My point in this little biography is that we sometimes have no choice but to adapt and accept what Mother Nature brings. We learn patience from things we can't control. If we are in tune to the cycles of nature, we adjust. We change our activities and our focus. In the warmer months we are more focused outwardly. We want to move our body more and do more. If we are in tune, during the colder months and shorter days, we are more internal and reflective. Think the winter versus summer characters that you see in movies. Fire and ice. Take a popular movie for example; Frozen. Anna would resemble the warmer months of the year. She is bubbly and outgoing and always on the move. Elsa would resemble the winter months. She is more introverted, and while she is still generous she prefers to be alone and look inside of herself, rather than onto others. This is what I am talking about. Balancing and harmonizing. These two qualities give us a chance to live and embrace activity, growth and movement, but then we have a cycle where we can go inward. We can see how we've changed, reflect on our growth and define what we want next. These are important cycles, and should be embraced. Without time to go inward we can get out of balance. So as the seasons change, as the days become shorter, I invite you to slow down, enjoy the new pace. Go inward and reflect. Practice quieter activities, read, journal, stare at a fire, sip tea. Spring will come again. But for now embrace your inner space.

If you find yourself resisting the change, adapt. Embrace that you enjoyed the busier months, the longer days, the activities you were doing, celebrate the joy it brought you. But let it go (get it?), and allow yourself to look forward. What do you love about fall? What about winter? To get in sync with the seasonal change, go outside for a few moments, let your body feel how the light of the sun is different, feel the earth under your feet. Notice the sounds of nature have changed, they are quieter. It might be subtle but things are changing. Your body can sense the rhythm of life in has slowed, your body can feel it. Give your your body a moment, let it match this energy. Enjoy fall. The slower tempo, the call to go inward, make it one of your favorite seasons, or at least a season you look forward to meeting face-to-face.