As yet another summer wines down, the transition to Fall may feel less than exciting. Some may even refer to this transition from Summer to Fall as “getting back to reality”. Much of this getting back to reality has to do with planning for a return to school and work as first priorities. Such planning can lead to higher levels of stress, anxiety and even depression because it brings back into play:
- the perception of having to meet expectations and
- the loss of the relative freedom Summer holds for so many of us.
The good news is that we can choose to look forward to Fall and avoid related stress, anxiety and/or depression. It starts with acknowledging that transitions (change) are inevitable aspects of life and have the potential to serve us. Without change there would be no personal creation, evolution, growth or development for example. Additionally, the truth of change allows us personal choice to shed most aspects of our lives that no longer serve ourselves or others.
Hence, our resistance to change may be limiting us to personal misalignment. Misalignment that blocks us from our best mental and emotional selves. Upon reflection, I now agree that we may have been misled to believe that there is less discomfort in resisting change. In turn, we typically default to the assumption that adapting to change is inevitably way more difficult. It may be that flowing with change is more freeing than we would want to believe. Especially, when that change brings with it opportunities to become more and more of our best selves.
To explore the process of allowance rather than resistance, we can start by using the coming seasonal transition to foster appreciation for what is. Reflection that Summer will be gone soon, can be used to cue us to highlight what we are thankful for receiving during this sunny season. It can also serve to remind us to be present for what is left of Summer, rather than focus in anticipation on the uncertainty of the Fall season to come.
Starting in an emotional and mental state of appreciation for what has been and is; can energize us to look forward to and be thankful for all that is yet to manifest. It is from an energized state that we can choose to flow, with less resistance, into the next phase or transition. Hence, choosing to be thankful and open to transitioning to Fall can lay the groundwork to then mentally hit a personal reset button. It involves letting go of Summer with ease and “Acting As If” we have a new blank canvas from which to design our own personal vision for Fall. In other words, a vision of Fall defined by an original creation of what our experience of Fall would look like given our diversity and individuality.
What this also means is that we can choose to use the beginning of the coming Fall season to develop a new vision with specific objectives and goals. Be it as it relates to our profession, our children, other relationships, finances or personal self-care for example. We have the freedom to decide and commit to whatever is most valuable to us individually. In turn, maybe letting go of some of the “should” dos that tend to come with Fall. It will not be enough to identify our vision and goals for Fall. It will require that we take appropriate steps/actions to experience Fall in ways that are not necessarily the norm or prescribed by others around us. Keeping in mind that we can weather the discomfort that comes with change when we look forward with hope and a confidence that we can always choose to find things to be thankful for in any season of our lives.