Have you forgotten this key fact? You are a being of nature, as much as any beautiful flower or tree, you are a natural being. Over time we have become separated from this truth. Modern conveniences and technology, while making day to day life much easier, have distanced us from our origins and we can feel the consequences of that separation, specifically as it relates to our drive to always improve.
In my professional and personal experience, I find most people hold exceedingly high expectations of themselves. We seek to always be at the top of our game, and we become annoyed with ourselves when we fall short of our desire to be better than we were before. For some this is experienced as a continual thread of unease within ourselves, a feeling of “I’m not doing enough,” and that’s not a fun way to go through life. Yet there is one simple lesson from nature we can remember to realign with our truth, experience more ease, but still continue on our journey of growth and expansion.
Nature is cyclical. No plant is forever in lustrous bloom. Even evergreen trees have phases when their needles turn brown and fall. Summer is a fun time to watch the cardinals at the bird feeder on our back deck, and are a perfect example of this phenomenon. The birds that are so gorgeous in their bright red feathers with crisp little black squares on their faces in February are hardly recognizable in July. At that time they are molting, and their heads are often totally devoid of feathers and their bodies look so scraggly. It is endearing to watch them as they go about their regular bird activities in this less-than-beautiful state.
But do we give ourselves the same grace? Do we realize that we too have seasons and phases? As beings of nature it is not reasonable to expect ourselves to perpetually reside in our ideal state, physically, mentally, or emotionally. How would it feel if we leaned into our nature and recognized and honored our lower energy times, our less-than-our-best stages, and just made space for that, knowing it won’t last forever? How much more peace could we enjoy if we released our drive to always be at our best?
Would you be afraid that if you allowed yourself the opportunity to step back, rest, and regroup that you’d never rise to the top of your game again? I understand that concern, but just keep your eye on your bird feeder, and let me know if you spot any scraggly-looking cardinals in January.
If you would like some support in finding your natural rhythm and flow in life, or any other aspect of walking this journey, reach out and schedule a free 30 minute call with me. We can explore how working together could empower you to create the life you desire.
