September is here, and autumn is suddenly in the air. One of many regular seasons of transition begins.
Here in Scotland we have actually had a couple of gorgeous sunny days, after a fairly wet and crummy summer. But even so, I am aware of the seasons starting to change and leaves starting to turn.
Soon it will be boots-and-warm-jumper season, at least in this hemisphere.
Walking through our local park early this morning, I watch two squirrels scampering about and playing in amongst the leaves that were being blown around. I love their energy and their commitment to preparing well for the season to come.
Autumn is a season of transition.
Trees identify the need to hunker down for the winter, and pull resources back towards the trunk. Leaves turn an amazing array of colours, and fall off. Branches are stripped bare.
And in the process of this, oftentimes we can see the tree, or the view beyond, much more clearly.
So too with our lives.
Sometimes we can only see clearly what is going on in our lives when some other things are stripped away, fall off, or are released from us. Sometimes in seasons of hyper-busyness, when there is much going on and we have fingers in many pies, our focus is entirely external.
We are unable to see what is happening inside, what is happening in our hearts, or in our relationships, or with other aspects of life that matter most to us. It might be that it requires a season of transition to let go of aspects of our lives that are perhaps no longer serving us.
Seasons of transition can be useful starting points for reflection on our own lives. It all starts with awareness, a key recurring theme in life coaching. Until we notice what is going on and take stock, we are not in a position to understand what changes we might want to make.
In this household, our nest has once again emptied, with Younger Nearest-and-Dearest returned to her studies in a different city. I spoke about the impact of this change last year. If you are someone who has just dispatched a young fledgling out of your nest, do read these words on the enormity of the emotions involved, and on navigating the enormity of an empty nest change.
How do we navigate seasons of transition well?
As always, it starts with awareness and asking ourselves questions –
What do I need to strip back to allow myself to reconnect with who I am at my centre?
What is it that really makes me ME, and who do I want to be in this season?
What has changed? How does that affect my priorities in this new season?
What needs to go? And what do I want to keep?
And where perhaps, like the trees around us, do I need to pull resources back in and take some time to rest and regroup?
Seasons of transition, like autumn, can be useful starting points for reflection and awareness on our own lives. We allow what needs to be stripped away to fall off, so that we can see more clearly what we might otherwise miss.
Next time, more on how to navigate seasons of transition well, plus access to a free tool that might be just what you are looking for.
