It’s that time of year again. Autumn half term for many children. Parents rushing around trying to find ways to entertain their kids for the week. As the nights draw in, the mornings are fresh and cool with the delicate droplets of dew forming on the grass, glistening in the sun’s rays.
After a blisteringly hot summer, autumn is well and truly here paving the way towards winter. Those beautiful, vibrant colours so reminiscent of this time of year. Red, gold, yellow and brown spreading through the leaves on the trees, gleaming in the golden sunlight.
As the end of the year approaches, we may begin to consider the year just gone (or rather, nearly gone).
What kind of year did you have?
What did you experience?
How did you feel?
What can you learn from each experience?
One thing we can be sure of is that life is full of trials and tribulations. Moments of joy, harmony and happy times, mixed with turbulent rollercoaster rides (metaphorically speaking).
Sometimes those rollercoaster rides and dark moments can feel overwhelming.
One thing we can be certain of is that life is never static.
Always moving, flowing, changing.
It’s abit like a flowing river. You just have to go with it.
There are moments when the river flow is gentle, other times, more rapid, fast-flowing, even abit scary.
There are times when life events may feel like severe turbulence on a plane. Being shunted from side to side, up and down. You get off, and may feel exhausted, sick, disorientated, feeling like you’ve been knocked sideways.
What was all that about? You may ask yourself.
Life events and our experiences and perception of those events.
How you perceive and experience those events is your own personal choice.
For example, if you have 50 people at a party, each person will have a different ‘experience’ of that party. The party is the event. The experience and perception of that party however, will vary from person to person and become their own personal reality. The meanings we attach to each life event are formed through our own perceptions fuelled by the way we think, the beliefs we have grown up with, attitudes and values.
You can choose how you respond to life events. Even though at times, perhaps through the darkest of nights, it may sometimes feel that your options are limited.
Clarity of mind is perhaps the most powerful way to find options even though choice may seem limited. There is always a way. It’s abit like turning the light on in your mind. Suddenly you may know what the first step to take, even though you are unclear of the outcome. That’s ok.
Baby steps.
Ask yourself…
What can I learn from this?
How did this experience make me feel?
What do I want instead?
What can I do differently?
What’s one thing I can do to take a step in a direction I want?
What’s motivating me?
What do I need to know?
What’s my inspiration?
The answers are closer than you think.
Take a look.
Listen.
Feel.
Do.
Clear your mind. Take a walk. Sit in nature. Go for a run.Soak in a warm bath.
Whatever helps you to clear your mind so that any insights, solutions and answers have the chance to bubble up to help you see and seek out opportunities and options.
Reach out. Do it!
