I love fall. The reprieve from summer’s heat, the glorious colors of changing leaves – Mother Nature beckoning us to leave the comfort of our climate-controlled rooms and enjoy her majesty. Yet there is a part of me that shrinks in sadness at autumn’s return. The coolness in the air that refreshes my being also sends a chill to the loneliest depths of my soul. For just beyond fall is winter, the coldest, most isolated season of the year. A time that frequently invokes feelings of emptiness and sadness, making many people wish they could ride out these bitter months in hibernation.
Since the arrival of winter is assured, what must we do to make the most of it (or any lonely season)? How do we face the inevitable winter with courage and resolve rather than depression and fear? By embracing each season of life and being determined to live fully. By accepting that our journey is ours alone and claiming it for ourselves. In this moment, we can find liberation or fear. We can be afraid of taking responsibility for our own happiness and fulfillment, or we can see the true power we have been given, own it, wield it, and create a beautiful, meaningful life of purpose.
As the seasons grow colder, we can choose to hide under a blanket and wait for the rebirth of spring, or we can embrace the cold and choose to grow. The only requirement is to be a willing, curious student, determined to learn and expand through trial and error. And like everything else in life, we must recognize that it is an ongoing process. For every three steps forward, we may take one back, and that is okay as long as we continue moving forward. Here are my thoughts as to how we get started in the process of creating a meaningful existence in any season.
v By getting rid of distractions. (This is a big one for me.) It’s so easy to be distracted by meaningless things…the new fall television season; working too much; our smart phones, which constantly notify us of every new email, Facebook post, etc. Each one of us can choose to shut off the television, realize that our workplaces won’t collapse if we leave at a decent time, break the bondage to our phones and decide only to check it a few times a day.
v By being intentional. We all have some free time (no matter how limited) that we can choose to spend as we see fit. Ask yourself how you can make the most of this time. Do you want to waste it on mindless activity or do you want to engage in something that speaks to your heart and soul?
v By asking yourself what you really want out of life. Do you want to travel? Spend more time with your family? Help others? Make a short list of the things that matter most, and then figure out what small steps you can start taking to achieve them. Here is where it can get tricky. We live in a world of instant gratification, and many of us (myself included) have a tendency to give up when we don’t get where we want to be immediately. This is when we have to develop the fortitude and discipline required to have success over the long haul. We have to make a commitment to ourselves not to give up and take the easy road, because ultimately, we pay the price by living a mediocre, unfulfilled life.
Each season of the year – and of life – brings new opportunity and challenges. Look for the beauty in each season, embrace it, accept it for what it is and seek to live in harmony. We must experience the disparity of winter and summer, loneliness and intimacy, joy and pain, in order to be whole.
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” Anne Bradstreet , British poet (1612-1672)
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. “ Jim Rohn
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