I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what earth does in the winter. If all goes to plan, it makes us amazing snow to frolic in, but it often seems to drag on. This period of stillness has so much going on under the surface.
How do I know this? Trees bud, tulips pop, and the soil is ready to be gardened come warmer months. Barren and fallow times nurture a more fertile future. Recent studies in regenerative agriculture have found proper procedures on fallow crop lands heighten the nutrient content of the soil producing future crops with greater health benefits.
Have you ever experienced a winter downtime in your own life or a certain area of it? One that feels as if it will never end and that no matter what you do you’re just stuck? As someone who’s had my own periods of winter, too many to name without boring you, I’ve found myself more often than I’d care to admit, nearly giving up and yelling at God, the universe, fill-in-your-own-blank-here, “When’s my turn?! I’ve been doing everything RIGHT, I don’t get why it’s taking so long!”
After I let myself feel those feelings, express anger and cry until I’ve been emptied, I remind myself that nature never gives up. Spring eventually arrives. The trees trust, the tulip bulb knows, and the soil sits letting whatever chemical reactions occur work their magic.
How do we channel our inner tulip bulb and trust that our spring will come? As an expert in this, albeit begrudgingly, I’ve found a few simple tools I use time and again to keep the faith when spring seems far off.
A gratitude practice that names the good of each day, even if that’s just the taste of your favorite coffee or your favorite song playing on the radio. The science behind gratitude is strong, what you focus on grows.
A question always waiting in the wings: what do I need to let go of to let more amazing in? Letting go is an important part of nature, leaves fall before winter, gardeners everywhere cut back. Where in your life can you prune? This can be anything from stuff, an outdated mindset, or a job that no longer inspires so you begin searching for a new one.
Trusted friends or a personal board of directors that carry faith in you when you are too tired to do it yourself. They’ll also nudge you to explore new directions. Lean on them, talk to them, allow them to support you.
How can you better trust in your own timing? Maybe that simple act of trust is the most potent magic of all.
Email me: Nicole Beaudin at nicole@eloiandstella.com
