27/09/2020
Change.
And sure enough, autumn is here. A season associated with a lot of change — changing of the leaves on trees before they finally hit the ground, that late summer sun seems weeks ago and changed places with clouds, rain, wind, little chills, and extra rain, we're transitioning into trousers and jumpers, the days are getting shorter and the nights longer, animals are stocking up on food and storing fat, growing in a new coat before hibernation, some just migrate to warmer climates, others are finding a mate, all preparing for those long months ahead.
With that said, people often resist change. I wonder why that is? Is it because it can interfere with autonomy and cause feelings of loss over control? You are pushed out of your comfort zone. Change may also come with uncertainty or surprises that take people out of their typical routines and planning. Humans are creatures of habits, and change jolts us into consciousness, sometimes in uncomfortable ways. You can probably think of many relevant examples in your own personal or professional life when you experienced change. How did you respond to that? But change gives you the opportunity to experience more, your mind expands in a way that is hadn’t in the past. It makes you more flexible and adaptable. When you are open to change, you are open to saying "yes' to more.
The reality is that things, people, and places do not change. What really changes is how we perceive the world around us, and how we respond to that change. Though the leaves are beginning to die when autumn begins, we find ways to appreciate the beauty of their changing colours and nature's rebirth too. The transition from summer to autumn is a good reminder that when we experience a change in our lives, we are presented with an opportunity to stay grounded in who we innately are. Similarly, though we cannot control what happens outside of us, we can control the way in which we respond, even if it feels uncomfortable.