How to THRIVE during a season of change
My FAVORITE WAY TO CHANGE THROUGH ANY SEASON.
Get out in Nature! When I was a 6th grade teacher, we would take our students to outdoor education every fall. While the prep leading up was grueling, the reward of spending 4 days in nature during the changing of seasons, was always the highlight of the year. It helped to bring peace, calm and acceptance.
Whether you are experiencing a literal changing of seasons; like from summer to fall, OR you’re in transition with a job, welcoming a new baby, or even grieving a loss, these changes can put all the hard work you’ve created towards a healthier you on the back burner. And that’s exactly what you want to avoid!
My favorite season of change is from Summer to Fall. When I was a teacher, I especially loved this transition because it was a fresh start every year with a new bunch of students! But I ALWAYS forgot how tired I was in September. It was probably the only way I could go back the following year to teaching for 12 years in a row. I loved the newness of a new school year but forgot how much work getting 30-120 students into a routine could be. WHEW! I’m exhausted just thinking about it.
It’s human nature to find a rhythm in the season you are experiencing. It is actually a positive sign. But hitting PAUSE altogether is more than detrimental to your progress and health. It creates this mentality that your health can wait. But the reality is that your health and wellness are what keep you going strong. Sure, if you get one poor night of sleep, the next day is rough, but with good sleep the next few nights, you’re back on track.
On the flip side, if you are going an average of 4 nights a week with 4 hours of sleep each night, then your performance, progress, focus, clarity, and overall quality of life will greatly decrease. You can’t make it up on the weekend. It doesn’t work that way. But that is the way so many very busy women live and function.
I get it! You do it all. You work full time, and take care of the kids (also a full-time job). You might be the sole income earner or the only cook in the house. You carpool kids around or have appointments to make and meetings to attend. You are busy!
So what’s the solution?
Focus on what you can control.
There are many things out of your control. For instance, your toddler throws a tantrum because they don’t get a sucker for breakfast. Or hitting all the red lights on the way to work when you are already late. You can’t control so many aspects of your day and yet, you still try! WHY?
As someone who loves to control all aspects of my life, I can assure you that this is something I am working on. 🫣 You should take a look at my planner and see how many details I plan out - at the number of times I erase and rewrite the time structure of my day because I need to see it look the way it played out! (Which is such a waste of time but it makes me feel better.) I digress…
Learning to let go of things that you cannot fully control takes some pressure out of all the things that you feel you need to get done. So often as women, especially busy women, we try to take on everything so that we can feel in control.
But what if we were to ask for help?
What if we took a few moments to analyze what truly is in our control and let go of things that are not ours to control?!
There is so much freedom in this practice! Analyzing how much control you have over a situation will help you determine where your time should be spent. So grab a piece of paper and write out these 3 columns.
Aspects of my life I have FULL CONTROL
Like your response to a snarky comment, the food choices you make, how much exercise you get,
Aspects of my life I have SOME CONTROL
Your thought patterns (because we have so many conscious thought patterns running on repeat all day, it takes time to become aware, own it, and reframe it)
Running out of gas
Number of hours you sleep
Your relationships
Aspects of my life I have NO CONTROL
What others think of you
Getting a flat tire
Now that you have made your expansive list:
Analyze this season of life.
Choose one area of your health to focus on the most. Maybe it's finding ways to handle stress.
Create a continuum.
A 10- day is what I call a PEAK DAY. That is the goal, but you’re actually aiming for more of a 7-8 on a daily basis! Whereas a 1 -day would more likely be a celebration that you incorporated box breathing or meditation for 3 minutes, instead of snapping at your kids. You can learn more about creating your own continuum here.
Having solutions and strategies to handle your stress is going to help you bounce back quicker, and in the end, make better food choices or get to the gym when you are stressed. All because you have a plan and you considered what you can control and begin to let go of what you can’t. It’s the first step to freedom friend.
I believe in you!
This week’s Tasty Twist: Easy Weeknight dinner - Choose your own adventure style
If you have a busy week ahead, Plan one of these meals for ease and simplicity. Shoot, this makes a great camping meal too!
