Seasons of Life

​CHANGE OF SEASON

I am writing this blog as I sit on a wet and windy afternoon in Perth, Australia.
Thinking about how the weather changes so often but also thinking about looking forward to the change that I know will be coming as Spring approaches.
This got me thinking about you and the different seasons in your life.

Imagine with me for a moment, that you have found yourself not quite where you would like to be in your life.  That you feel stuck or perhaps restless or maybe you feel like you want a change but are unmotivated.  This may be due to circumstances contributing to your decline in wellbeing or what life has thrown at you at this particular time.
Whatever the ‘place’ you are in, let's call this, your SEASON NOW.

Season NOW
As the name suggests, this is where you are at currently.  Your concerns, your confusion, your frustration, your grief, wanting meaning or whatever it may be for you at this time in your life.

​Season WHAT
Well, what is it that you have identified as needing to change?  Or what is it that you just know you want to change?   What do you need to be different? What would you like instead?  Where would you like to be instead?  What would you like to be doing instead?  What would you need to focus on to get what you want instead?

Season WHO 
Sometimes we need support with one thing or another and so this might be a time where you are reaching out for that support from others.  This may be your social group, your family, your work colleagues, strangers in an area of interest.  Or you know exactly how to support yourself as you have identified your strengths or skills in this particular area that you can use, because you have used them before. 

Season HOW
Now that you have who is going to support you, think about how you are going to change things.  What will you start with.  What tiny step are you going to take in the direction you want to go?  What looks and feels different when you do this? What skills are you going to draw upon that you can use here in this season?  What skill worked before, or which new skill can you use or develop?  What is important to you, that you value that will help you draw closer to what you want?

Season CHANGE
This is where you get to look at all the things you have put in place to help make the change you desire.  Using all your strengths, skills, your values, boundaries and your supports to live in this season.

Evaluate your efforts so far.

• Did the change work?
• What do you need to tweak?
• Nothing is set in stone.
• You can always change your mind.
• You can start again and try something else.
• You can continue to do what is working and build on that.

 
Remember, just like seasons of this earth, you may be in one season for longer than the others. 

Moving through different stages and different areas.  Connecting to people and activities. Try not to fight the change, but rather hold it loosely until such time you are ready to let go of it and move into the next season.  Change can take time, so be aware of this and allow yourself the space and ‘season’ to adjust to the change.  You already know that this season is not going to last forever and that alone is a hope to hold onto.

If time is not on your side and change has happened suddenly without warning, then this too is an ‘event within the season’ you are about to be in.  What you do with that change is what is important.  So, using all the things we have spoken about here already, will empower you and inspire you to grab on with both hands to get through it or to even embrace it.

Change is inevitable, so when you feel that change starting to happen, ask yourself if this is an inconvenience or an opportunity for healing, growth and discovery? 

Are you empowering yourself with knowledge, understanding and flexibility in order to embrace the change so that you give yourself the very best opportunity to not only survive but thrive in the process.
 
 “We cannot become what we need by remaining what we are.”
― John C. Maxwell