Questions To Ask Yourself This Fall + Every Season
Transitioning to the Fall Season
I can’t help myself… I love everything about fall and want to squeal with glee at its arrival. I am THAT ‘pumpkin spice fanatic’ that buys the first item that arrives in the store. I am the queen of buying all the newly picked fall apple varieties, maple and pumpkin everything!! I have come to terms with this insanity and am at total peace with my choices. Thank you for your care and understanding, but I am fine, there is no cause for concern, I promise!
I really do love fall. Maybe because it’s my birthday month, but my hunch is it’s a deeper connection to the season.
There is something magical about watching nature shift and transform into a glorious color fest. The temperature starts to cool, the days grow shorter, and animals begin to stash their finds. There is both a buzz in the air, and a subtle realization that winter is coming. The act of leaves changing colors means there is decay, death and a natural rhythm of life coming to the end of its cycle. The process is slow, but noticeable. To ponder that sweet smell of the changing forrest is actually natures slow decay, is quite the curiosity. It’s not the most romantic sounding concept, but to watch it happen is simply stunning. The transition of this time of year is magic. Absolute, beautiful, magic.
Nature doesn’t rush or hurry. It takes the exact time it needs to do what it does. It doesn’t care what we think of it or if it’s “on time”. This year, the message to do what I feel in my personal nature, is hitting home with a new level of intensity. My inner nature, desperately calling me to rest. I have been resisting it for years. Resting only when I was at my limit and nearly forced to stop. I do my best to be mindful and bring my whole self to each experience I have, but that is not the same as REST. Meaning, coming to a stop, reclaiming your energy, reevaluating, and changing the level of external output. And my friends, that is a hard task for me. For nearly 45 years, I have been taught how to push, go, and exert to the highest capacity. And I’m just now realizing how tired I’ve been.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there is something beautiful about being inspired and really diving into life with a ferocity and excitement. There is nothing wrong with working hard. There is great wisdom in discipline. But this isn’t what I’m talking about. I’m speaking to reappearing patterns of “doing” because that’s what we “know” and it becomes who we “think” we are. We identify with this ‘way of being’ and to stop it becomes scary. Who are we if we aren’t mass producing, running in circles, maximizing every moment, and saying yes to everything? Can you relate? It wasn’t so obvious for me. I didn’t realizes that my FOMO was actually a protective act by a part of me, that was afraid to stop. What will I miss out on? But also, what might I find in the absence of being “busy”? When I realized that the latter concept was the main reason to keep my hectic pace, I knew I had to face my reality and see what was behind closed doors.
There are definitely times when we knowingly avoid something. And also times when we don’t realize that our behaviors have been subconsciously pushing away from the inner work we need to look at most. None of this is wrong or bad. We’re ready, when we’re ready. And not a moment before.
So my question for you is, what are you hiding behind? What are you ignoring? What inner message is calling you? And, are you ready to listen and explore?
I decided to block off 12 days with the requirement of; no clients, no working on business, no work outside the house. I could do work around the house, yard and inside of myself. I would take classes that I wanted to do, cook, bake, garden, take myself on dates and clean up/out old spaces inside the house and metaphorically in my body. Saying NO to others was hard. Saying YES to myself was even harder.
I admit that the 12 days was not exactly how I expected it to manifest. But the end result was exactly what I hoped for. Just like the delight of the first brewed cup of pumpkin spice latte.
I gained the reclamation of my energy, finding my center again, feeling true joy and lightness of heart and realizing I forgot how to have fun!
I reestablished the sacredness of my morning routine, remembered what balance feels like, and got back in touch with who I am today. I was able to feel the integration of the most recent 2 years of shamanic and spiritual work and allow some leftover trauma and grief to pass though me.
It was a great purge, and victory.
What are you holding on to? What are you ready to let go of? What are you willing to say yes to? What does freedom look like for you?
Each of us holds the key to our freedom. We have the ability to release that which no longer serves us, reclaim our energy, and be inspired to listen to, and follow through with, the calling of our true spirit.
The beauty of the journey is that we GET to have this experience. We GET to discover and rediscover who we are and what excites us. We GET to learn about ourselves and share our light with the world. We GET to have seasons of our lives change and evolve. What a gift. What.A.Gift.
Now, here I am, drinking my pumpkin spice coffee with pumpkin spice creamer and homemade pumpkin whipped cream, eating a pumpkin scone and sitting outside with the rustling leaves and touch of fall coolness in the air. Allowing myself to take in the beauty around me. Allowing myself to experience the simple pleasure of rest. Magic. The allowing of my internal seasons to flow without resistance feels like a breath of fresh, fall air. Watching the beginning stages of autumn kiss the land around me, reminds me to continue to let life unfold, naturally, without force.
I admit, honoring the seasons of my internal world and allowing them to manifest outwardly is a continual process, to which I am learning to trust each and every day. In truth, some days I fall back (pun intended) into old patterns, but I am more acutely aware of it happening and gently remind myself to honor my rhythm. I am in progress, and unlearning can be hard. I look to the changing leaves, feel the chill of the night, and breathe in the smell of pumpkin spice to help guide through this season. Change and transition can be beautiful.
Follow your rhythm. Feel your nature. Flow with your personal season.
May you be inspired to listen, look deeper and honor the quiet voice within.
May you let the autumn of your soul, guide you, in your own transition.
And if you need support, remember that you are not alone. We are all walking together on this path.
In honor of the changing season, 15% off all coaching (life and pole) services with code PUMPKINSPICE and 25% off all prerecorded classes and tutorials with code AUTUMN from now through October 31st, 2022.
It’s ok to reclaim your energy. It’s ok to power down. It’s ok to rest. Fall is inviting us, and leading by example.
From my heart to yours, with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice!
P.S. There’s more fall fun baking with Wild Grain box! Use code HEIDICOKER for $10 off their first box + FREE Croissants in every box! This was a loaf of sourdough from my own personal box. And it was glorious!
