Just like in nature, there are also seasons of life. And because of that, nature can offer lessons about adapting to change and how to not only navigate but also thrive during the different seasons.
Life is in constant motion; some things will change while others stay the same, and we must learn to adapt to the changes in whatever form they may appear. The challenge may be difficult but knowing how to nourish yourself and sink your roots into the ground is the only way to weather whatever season of life you are in.
Surviving the hard seasons of life: 5 ways to nourish your soul while adapting to change
In nature, change is evident. Change in life is sometimes marked with resistance, but there are ways to learn how to lean in, embrace the change, and bloom.
1 See the season as a season; they change.
Some are predictable; others aren’t. They come to teach you how to learn and endure bad times. Seasons of life come and go; celebrate when they do, and you will find that adapting to change isn’t as bad as you thought it would be.
2 Be still but find a center.
It will help you self-evaluate and rest if necessary. The season you are in may have you tired or overwhelmed. Check in with yourself. Don’t withdraw from what’s important, but you may need to cut back and do more things that you enjoy.
Here are a few things to refocus and nourish yourself with:
- Take a break from taxing, toxic relationships
- Cook at home a little more, wash a few more dishes, read a few more books
- Listen to music
- Turn off the technology and connect with those who matter to you
- Be still; stillness restores and centers. Find out what that is for you.
3 Discern whether the people and things in your life are roots or anchors.
Think about your relationships; how are they connected to you? You can tell if you are being nourished or anchored based on how you feel in their presence. Is there a form of anxiety when you interact with them (anchor), or is there safety and security (nourishment)?
There are some anchors that you can’t get rid of, such as preparing for an important meeting or having tough conversations. You may even find that the place where you should feel the most nourishment, such as at home, is not always a safe haven. You may have to find that nourishment elsewhere. The things that anchor you may have to be washed by the things that nourish you.
4 Receive more than striving.
Trees have never been surprised by the change in the fall; they adapt to the atmosphere ahead of time. Trees recognize that the cold weather is coming. It prepares for oncoming challenges and stops eating as much. Receive what comes, use what it is and learn how to endure the hard seasons. Trees don’t migrate; they endure, adapting to change along the way.
We spend so much time reading the season we forget to enjoy the weather. We aren’t responsible for changing the weather around us, but we spend all our time reading the forecast. Stop complaining and prepare. Hard seasons of life are either coming, present, or just passed.
Seek nourishment, not what’s next.
Your mistakes don’t matter as much as you think they do. Don’t define yourself, your hope, your happiness, and your worth by the season you are in. Escape is a magical next. Escaping is like a pirate, also known as a fool’s gold of what’s the next best thing. But it’s not real. Dark places have sent people to a traumatic tragedy next when they aren’t nourished.
Takeaway: You can still find nourishment, even through the hard seasons of life
All seasons of life are temporary. You can be quietly suffering, thinking that you have reached capacity and feeling that the only option is to collapse under the pressure. Yet those moments of exaggeration are often the key to finding your hidden talents.
Focus on what nourishes and sustains you. Small things matter; you were created to endure the seasons of life and adapting to change just like you are. Believe that you can do it. You are seen, valued, and you are appreciated.
