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The school calendar has entangled my psyche because despite September being the 9th month of the year, it is always the symbolic transition into a new year. In August, even when the weather is usually hottest in Seattle where I live, I sense the weather shifting as the nights get longer and chillier. I still do my "school shopping," where I get new writing supplies, shoes, and a winter coat. I also feel slightly unsettled because I am not yet clear on what to expect from this symbolic new year.
My energy shifts to amore mellow and reflective space in the fall. I love summer vibrancy but holding on feels superficial and no longer satisfying. Fall signals the time to get serious again after a carefree summer of freedom, being in the flow and high energy. I'm ready to start transitioning to what is next. Fall is the season of harvest. It is the time to integrate insight and knowledge you have gained over the past year of hard work. Your results (good or bad) are apparent now, and it's time to harvest the fruits of your labor while discarding what no longer serves you. Fall reminds us to let go of all those things we have outgrown or worn out. It signals that endings are coming and invites us to respond.
Fall is challenging. It can be unsettling, sad, or scary as you realize that it is time to move onto something new, yet you don't know what that new is. Moving forward requires faith – faith that there is something more for you. Moving forward also takes courage– the courage to leave or stop what has run its course or is not suitable for you. This change can be uncomfortable but will eventually result in a more aligned, purposeful life. This process builds emotional depth and self-actualization and overall satisfaction.
Thanksgiving falls during this harvest time. It evokes acknowledgement and gratitude for everyone and everything that has brought us to this point. Even though we may leave some things behind, we are grateful for the gifts they have provided. Answering the call of the season of fall will support transitions we all face at various points in our lives. Working through the questions that come up during this season will strengthen your leadership confidence and build a stronger personal brand because you are open and curious about possibilities rather than locked into an outdated past. Fall is the most challenging of seasons because this is the process of deciding to say goodbye. Embracing fall will inspire you to do what is required to support moving forward to achieve your vision, mission and goals.
At Seasons Leadership, we use the seasonal metaphor to help describe where we are in the cycle of change in our life or a specific aspect of life. Our overall life, relationships, careers, projects, visions/missions, and values go through seasonal change and growth at various rates and rhythms. At the beginning of each season, we discuss characteristics of that season to provide inspiration and clarity, but the metaphor is not tied to the calendar.
Read more on fall from Seasons Leadership: Embrace the Season of Fall (mailchi.mp)
