Learn to Thrive in a Season of Change
It is the first day of Fall, and like any season change, fall is met with fresh changes that can be both beautiful and tricky to work into your life.
Welcoming the change of a season is easy when the newness is on the horizon, but how do we adapt when life starts changing rapidly like the cool fall air? If you can't tell, I am not just talking about the weather, but seasons of change in our lives. Whether it be changing careers, a new relationship, a change in lifestyle habits, welcoming motherhood, or even becoming a wife. We must learn a new rhythm, implement new habits, and sometimes tweak habits to create space for the freshness a new season brings.
When we forget to create this space, we neglect our self care, we start turning up only halfway in our friendships, and those close to us can suffer from us not being able to adjust well. My hope today is that you may find some tools to care for yourself in a season of change and learn to truly thrive when everything around you seems to be shifting.
Here are 5 ideas to jumpstart your self care & learn to thrive in a season of change:
1. CREATE A MORNING ROUTINE
Whether you have 10 minutes or an hour, devote your first waking moments to something that will give you energy (besides caffeine!). It might be a morning stretch, putting on your favorite playlist, opening the windows to let the breeze in, reading an inspiring book, praying or meditating.
2. JUST BE
Take a "time out" for 10 minutes at work and just appreciate the weather, take a short walk, look for beauty and document it on instagram, or even journal out 5 reasons you welcome today and all it is. Get creative!
3. EDUCATE YOURSELF
I truly believe that becoming educated on your season of life is vital. Read books that stretch your mind. Listen to TED talks, sermons, teachers, audio books. Expand your mind and start implementing what you are learning. 9/10 times, when someone in my life is inspired and welcomes change, they are also welcoming learning and thriving on what they are taking in! Be a sponge of all life is teaching you!
4. TALK IT OUT
It doesn't have to be with a coach or a counselor, just discuss your life with a close friend. Seek community. The safest place to be when all is changing is in a community of loving people. Be vulnerable about the challenges you are facing and your fears. There is time for advice, and there is time for listening. Tell them what you need and let them meet it for you.
5. DECIDE TO BE THANKFUL
Every day write out why you are thankful for this season and what it is teaching you. Start a gratitude blog or journal. Say a prayer of thankfulness every morning. Write thank you cards to the people who are impacting your life the most. Spread that shiii all around.
**BONUS** Tips from the muses:
Last week I asked to my muses what self care looks like to you. You all had amazing answers I wanted to include here. There is so much we can learn from each other!!
Adrianne says: "Putting your self first is absolutely not selfish, it's crucial. It's like the scenario..you're in a plane and there is lack of oxygen for example. You put your mask on first and then you help others." **She includes dry brushing, dancing, saying affirmations, and doing yoga in her daily self care.
Liz says: "You have to decide what is important for your mental health each day. Each day it may change."
Katie says: "Self-care is really important to me and I set aside up to an hour every night to sit in my own space and relax with some tea, a book and some knitting. Ya gotta take a moment to silence your life and appreciate everything you have."
Brianne says: "For me self care is getting up and sitting on the front porch listening to some worship music and reading my bible. sometimes something as simple as letting myself get a snickers bar when I check out at the grocery store."
Valerie says: "Self care is so important and you learn a lot about yourself and others everyday you apply it. I felt so bad and it was a little uncomfortable because I tend to be a people person, but after granting myself a self care 'week' I want to implement it in my everyday routine!"
Mallory says: "I used to feel selfish and put me last but when I changed that, I saw how much more mentally, emotionally, spiritually, ect. sound I was."
Kate says: "I realized the first thing is to care for, heal, and teach the self...then (maybe as an elder) pass some of that goodness on to others."
It is pretty clear that the tribe is full of women learning to practice self care and walking out what they believe. Thriving in a season of change doesn't have to be hard or scary.
START BY TAKING CARE OF YOUR OWN SPIRIT AND WATCH HOW YOUR LIFE WILL BEGIN TO THRIVE IN EVERY SEASON.
What about you?? Are you navigating in a new season? What can you take and implement TODAY?
Please leave a comment below and share your story.
Much love xx,
-Madison