Honoring the Seasons of Your Life

I like to think that we live life in the flow of our own seasons. Sometimes, if a period of time has gone by without significant reflection, I forget that I think about life in this way; I’ll realize I’m in a new season before noticing any transition from the previous one. Unlike nature’s seasons, ours don’t necessarily change when we expect them to. Some seasons are longer than others, and some things that align with our souls tend to seep into the following seasons for the rest of our lives. Like how at home in California, no matter what time of the year, if the leaves are green or yellow, you’ll find the sun shining bright against a blue sky, the sun is simply part of who this place is.

Living life in honor of the season I’m in allows me to naturally ignite my authentic self. Authenticity, like seasons, is everchanging, in a gradual self-discovery sort of pursuit. Sometimes, being authentic to me looks like blasting pop punk music in my car and screaming the lyrics as loud as I can, while other times, it can look like having a meaningful conversation over a cup of tea with my dog. All jokes aside, being authentic, as far as I’ve unraveled it, means feeling and acting however most intrinsic with your present moment.

Living life in seasons allows for this authenticity to truly thrive. If we work with our seasons, rather than against their changes, we can more easily align with our intuition.

Let’s say the season you’re currently living in is motivated entirely by health. All of your hobbies, interests, and conversation starters have something to do with some newfound inspirations in the health field. If the season you were in before was not as health-centric, you might have some changes in routine, plans, and grocery lists coming your way in this new health-inspired season of life. You may find yourself saying no to late nights out on the town and opting for a walk with a friend instead. Little changes in patterns and how we feel about those changes are where we can learn a bit more about ourselves. Honoring the shifts your intuition is pushing you towards and exploring how they work with your life is essential to your self-discovery journey. 

Just because you moved on from a season doesn’t mean you won’t live in it again. Often, the wave of life takes us in many different directions, but we will always find our way to (and back to) the things that are meant for us.

Trying new things and assessing how you feel about them is also an amazing way to explore your authenticity. Some may argue that authenticity is the opposite of effort or reflection and more of a thoughtless, spontaneous endeavor. Whether thought has a rightful partnership with authenticity depends on whether you’re in your own company or with others, and if the space you are in is safe or not. When we’re with friends or family, we shouldn’t have to think twice about our energy levels or conversation contributions. Our intuition tends to guide us on how to show up in unknown environments where pure authenticity may not be of the highest service. However, when we’re by ourselves, it’s the questions we ask internally and the thought paths we elaborate on where we can dive deeper into our identities and the things that make up our authenticity. 

I’m still young, and sometimes, I don’t fully know who I am or what I really want in the next chapter of my life. It takes exploration, trying new things, and reflection to learn these things about myself. 

Mother nature delivers autumn every year. Even though autumn comes every year doesn’t mean every autumn is the same. If the preceding rainy seasons were dryer than normal, this year’s foliage may not be as vibrant as the previous. However, softer colors don’t stop the leaves from falling. Showing up however you are feeling in the moment is honoring your authenticity. Incorporating ideas into your life that you feel called to is living aligned with your seasons.

Xx

Emma