Episode 54 - What we learn from Mother Nature's Rhythm

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What If You Don't Have to Figure Everything Out Today? Have you ever had one of those days when your mind feels like a browser with 47 tabs open? You're thinking about something that happened yesterday. You're worrying about something that might happen tomorrow. You're trying to remember what you forgot to do today. And somewhere in the middle of all that, you're supposed to be enjoying your life! Sometimes I think our minds deserve a little vacation from themselves. But when life starts changing, those 47 tabs can quickly turn into 147. Maybe a relationship is changing. Maybe your family dynamics are different than they used to be. Perhaps you're facing a decision, dealing with an unexpected situation, or trying to figure out what what this new season of life is going to look like. Suddenly, there are so many things to think about. You might is running a stream of questions like: What should I do?
What happens if I make the wrong decision?
How is this going to work out?
What if things don't turn out the way I hoped? We think about it while we're getting dressed. We think about it while we're driving. We think about it when we're supposed to be relaxing at the end of the day. But the worst part is when we even wake up in the middle of the night and our minds immediately pick up right where they left off! Why we do that? I think part of it is that we want to feel secure. We want to know what's going to happen so we can prepare ourselves. The mind naturally seeks to solve problems. And when something changes, we lose some of that familiarity. We don't know exactly what to expect, so we start looking for answers. We think that if we can just figure everything out, we'll finally feel better. But what happens when there aren't any answers yet? You may be in the middle of a situation that is still unfolding, Perhaps the decision that needs to be made isn't yours to make, or non of us turly knows what will happen tomorrow. the future simply isn't clear! We can spend an awful lot of emotional energy trying to solve things that aren't ready to be solved. Have you ever thought about that? We could be so busy trying to figure out tomorrow, we can miss the peace and the possibilities that are available to us today. So today, I want to explore a different way of approaching those seasons of change. Right now we are in a season of Change. Fall is a beautiful time when we find relief from the hot seasons of summer and a last horrah before the cold of winter sets in. I like to think of it as Mother Natures celebration, acknowledgement and gratitude of what has been growing and developing during the year before she prepares to go inward and rest for a season. The trees burst into color like confetti as they begin to release their leaves. The gardens begin to quiet. The days grow shorter, and the whole world seems to slow down a little. Nature doesn't seem to panic because everything is changing. She doesn't try to hold on to every leaf or insist that summer must last forever. Instead, there is a rhythm to it all. A time for growing, a time for blooming, a time for releasing, and a time for rest. And I wonder if there's a little wisdom in that for us. What if, instead of spending all our energy trying to figure out what's changing and what comes next, we took a moment to acknowledge how far we've come? What have we learned this year? What have we nurtured and helped grow? What have we discovered about ourselves through the things we've experienced? And perhaps just as importantly, what might we need to release, set aside, or stop carrying with us? Did you catch that? Let me repeat…what might we need to release…set aside, or stop carrying with us? Perhaps these moments of uncertainty is God’s guiding wisdom of letting us knwo that it is time to let go and stop carrying all of the past with us. And relax because we don't need to have every answer right now. He has that covered. Maybe, like nature, we need to recognize that there are seasons when we're meant to grow and reach for something new, and seasons when we need to turn inward, reflect, let go and replenish ourselves. Perhaps the counsel we need is We don't have to wait until everything else is done to give ourselves that time. Yes, Creating is a break from the hectic demands and worries of life. But it isn't a distraction from living our lives; it's one of the ways we bring more joy, fresh perspective, and life into them. Just think about it. Nature doesn't stop being valuable when it's resting. A tree without its leaves is still a tree. A garden that isn't blooming is still preparing for what's to come. Its value hasn't disappeared simply because it's no longer producing something we can see. And yet, how often do we measure our own value by what we accomplish, how much we get done, or how well we take care of everyone around us? We can feel guilty when we slow down. We may even feel as though we're falling behind when we take time for ourselves. As humans we are really good at placing guilt upon ourselves. What if we looked to Mother Nature as our example and embraced this beautiful rhythm of life? A time for creating and accomplishing, a time for celebrating and acknowledging the blessings and growth in our lives, and a time for reflecting and renewing ourselves. As women, we spend so much of our time creating things for others, managing responsibilities, and making sure everything gets done. But how often do we give ourselves time to create something simply because it brings us joy? What if we made room in our days to explore, experiment, play, and discover what inspires us? Not because we have something to prove or a finished product to show for it, but because creating is a beautiful part of being human. We don't have to wait until everything else is done to give ourselves that time. Creating isn't a distraction from living our lives; it's one of the ways we bring more joy, fresh perspective, and life into them. I listened to a woman the other day talk about how she struggles with this feeling of FOMO. That is a fear of missing out. She is so worried of disappointing people in her life by not keeping everything up and running…yet she has this horrable nag of FOMO because she loves to photograph nature and she is not out side taking pictures of the beautiful leaves and other glorious events of nature…because she has this nagging feeling that she must be inside producing and taking care of the lives of others. It took her a few minutes to process these thoughts. But she finislly realized that… her love of photographing nature wasn't something frivolous she needed to squeeze in after everything else was done. It was something that brought her joy, helped her notice the beauty around her, and made her feel more alive. She didn't have to choose between being a caring person and making room for something she loved. We don't lose our value when we stop producing, solving, and taking care of everyone else. Therefore, we can stop treating our own creative time…. Our persoal joys as something we must earn by finishing everything else first. These things that are creative to our soul…such as my art are part of the seasonal rhythm. When I'm playing with color and arranging pieces of paper, I'm not sitting there trying to analyze every problem in my life. My attention is on what my hands are doing and what I'm creating. And yet, in that space, my thoughts have room to settle. Sometimes I begin to see things differently. Sometimes I recognize what I need to let go of, or what was never mine to carry in the first place. “Creating gives me space to listen—not just to my own thoughts, but to the quiet promptings of the Spirit. I may not walk away with every answer, but I can return to the changes in my life with a little more calm, a fresh perspective, and a willingness to take the next step.” When I sit down with my paints, papers, and other art supplies, I give myself permission to step away from the demands of the day. I don't have to solve a problem, make a decision, or figure out what comes next. I can simply create. I fall into this natural rhythm as I am playing with color and arranging pieces of paper, of refection on the things that have been happening in my life. I do not go into worry or fear beause my mind is occupied with what my hands are doing and what I am creating. And yet, in that space, my thoughts have room to settle. Sometimes I begin to see things differenlty. Sometimes I recognize what I need to let go of, or what was never mine to carry in the first place. Creating art doesn't make the changes in my life disappear. But it gives me space to listen - not just o my own thoughts, but to the quiet promptings of the Sprit. I may not walk away with every answer, but I can return to the change in my life with a little more calm, a fresh perspective, and a willingness to take the next step. What a beautiful thing to have…to experience. The soul comforting feeling that comes from the Spirit. This week, I want you to notice something you enjoy creating or doing simply for the pleasure of it. Maybe it's taking photographs of the changing leaves, arranging flowers, crocheting, Stitching, painting, or just simply dodling and playing with a few art supplies. Then, instead of waiting until everything else is finished, make a little room for it now. Make a conscious effort to include what brings you joy and a little peace into your daily rhythm.