As the temperatures drop and the leaves fall, I start to get excited. I love living in Minnesota because the season change is one of my favorite times. I love watching the animals and plants transition. I embrace these cycles in my own life and use them as an opportunity to refocus. As fall arrives, with winter on its heels, I begin the process of turning inward.
Turning inward means that I spend more time indoors or bundled up in the out of doors. It becomes a time of slowing down and coming back inside. Whereas summer is an explosion of get-togethers, last minute drinks on the patio or spontaneous dinners with friends, fall is the time when this fun, frantic nature comes to a close. It’s time for snuggling up with a favorite book and a cup of tea on the couch. The music gets turned down, the windows are closed and I get cozy.
It’s also a time to tune back in with my body, mind and spirit - a time to return to my Morning Pages and tune in with my small, inner voice. Creativity is spurred on during this turning of the season. For me, fall and winter are germination periods. They are a time for assessment of what is and then of preparation for what is to come. It’s easier to find the time and motivation to create during the colder months, saving spring and summer as a time for celebration and friendship.
As winter approaches, I invite you to consider what it is that you want to bring to fruition during this cold season. What is there for you to examine, as you turn inward? What are the steps needed for you to move forward during this incubation and germination season? What things do you need to send back to the earth and let go of?