One Way To Create A Feeling Of Life Balance

Life balance is a deep core value of mine.

It's something that we all seem to be constantly striving for, am I right? 
A feeling of balance in life comes from many ways that we choose to live. 

As much as I am a fan of regular routines, I equally value the changes in those routines seasonally. 
It's a really important way that I maintain a feeling of balance for myself. 

We are living, breathing, natural creatures just as any animal in the forest is.
Just because we live in homes, does not mean that we are meant to ignore the rhythms of the seasons. 

I think we often forget this. (silly humans!)

Winter is made for more rest, hibernation, warm soup, reading more books, & having more quiet time. This past winter brought us all so much more hibernation than usual due to the pandemic. While everyone had very different experiences, I did the best that I could at embracing more solo time. I did a lot of deep personal work over the winter & developed ritualistic routines while being home more than I ever have been in my life. While It wasn't without feelings of hardship in some ways, I'm grateful in so many ways for what the extra solitude brought me. 

When summer arrived this year, (and vaccinations and events!) I was ready to go! I was so excited to once again rejoin the world outside, gather with people, travel, camp, hike, swim, kayak....all of the things. I have really embraced this summer in such an enthusiastic way. Almost every weekend has been packed with fun. 
( I may have packed my summer a little too full in my excitement!) 

I've kind of worn myself out.

Just in time. As we are nearing the end of the summer, even though I'm not really ready for it to end, I feel myself looking really forward to soup making & curling up with a blanket & a good movie more often. 

While I kept the core of my routines I built so strongly in the solitude of last winter, I also let go of some over the summer. My sleep schedule adjusted a bit & my usual morning workouts at home were often replaced by outdoor physical activity for example.

As the days begin to grow shorter, I'll adjust to a new seasonal sleep schedule that is earlier, I'll go back to my home rituals more diligently, and I'll look forward to having more time to do things in my home, and of course - more rest. 

When we tap into the rhythm of the seasons, it's so much easier to feel like we are balanced in life. We were not meant to constantly be on the go, nor were we meant to always hibernate. We need both of these things to feel balanced, and there are seasons for each.

When we bring awareness to living more in rhythm with the seasons, we naturally feel more balanced as we are feeding ourselves and our lives in different ways. Just as we feed our bodies with different foods seasonally. Fresh fruits & salads more in summer and soups & stews more in winter. Our body craves these differences naturally if we pay attention. 

There are different seasons of our life as well. As we age, our focuses are different.

There may be years to be raising children and years of witnessing them be adults while you focus more on yourself. 
There may be years of focusing on healing and years of focusing on growth. 
There may be years of hardship to move through and years of celebrating how much you love your life. 

The one constant is that things are always changing, including the seasons. 

I know how much embracing the rhythms of the season can bring a feeling of balance because I experience it every season of every year.

Lean into the fact that you are a wild creature at heart and embrace what each season's natural rhythm brings for you. 

We have a little bit of summer left to get the 'yaya's' out!

How are you going to embrace these long sunny days with activity while they are here?

What are you looking forward to embracing as the days grow shorter & cooler? 

I'm researching recipes to make with the garden harvest to freeze & preserve. 
I'm thinking about what kind of personal development course(s) I would like to take this winter. 
I'm looking at my jewelry & craft-making area & excited to get it organized for more cozy creating again soon. 
Just to name a few. 

Take a little time to think about how you lean into each season. 
Ask yourself what kind of balance you are craving now.
How can the change of seasons assist you in feeling that balance? 

Then set some intentions for yourself. 
Write them down. 
Speak them out. 
Plan for them. 

Wishing you a lovely rest of your summer and the feeling of balance in your life that you crave, 

Shelly