The signs of life this week filled me with more hope than you can imagine. It has been a long, hard period – what with the winter, the pandemic and the loss and grief we’ve had to face. There have been times when I felt like none of it would end.
The winter has been a metaphor for this time of dormancy and death, of drabness and a lack of buoyancy of spirit.
As I saw the new shoots, leaves and flowers finding their way towards the sun this week, it reminded me that most things are not as dead as they seem. There are these weeks towards the end of winter when it looks like the whole forest has almost certainly died. It feels like I’m holding my breath and waiting to see if something good can come from this barren terrain – the forest and my own. Deep down I know that spring always comes, just like the sun always rises, but I hover in doubt, waiting and watching.
Most things are not as dead as they seem.
The evidence of the seasons changing fills me with more of a thrill than you can imagine. If the dull-brown forest floor can produce bright green shoots and even flowers, it feels like there might be hope for the rest of us.
The spring appears after a long period of dormancy. There are rising temperatures and there is rain. Then like magic, the growth happens.
What are the things we must do so that in the right season we, too, will spring out of the hard ground?
What are my prerequisites for growth, I wonder? What are the things we must do so that in the right season we, too, will spring out of the hard ground? Perhaps, just like the plants, what we need most are sleep, nutrients, water, sunshine and time. I might add to that trust, hope and perseverance. Less doing. More being. Rest. Nurture. Wait.
Rest. Nurture. Wait.
What are my signs of life? The brightest green shoots are hopefulness and joyful expectancy. I notice the tiny buds of making plans and thinking about what’s next.
What do signs of new life look like in you?
Celebrating
It’s hard to believe it was 4 years ago that I got the idea to start a blog. I remember being so unsure of my abilities and uncertain that I had anything to say that people would want to read. I recently celebrated 20,000 views on my blog! I’m grateful to all of you who keep reading. Thank you!
Coaching
New 6-week mental fitness course starting April 10th (registration closes soon – April 5th). Join the wonderful group I already have registered. Weekly pod meetings will be 7 pm on Mondays starting April 12th. This is a very affordable program with a moneyback guarantee (*some conditions apply).
If you want to learn to de-stress in the middle of tough circumstances, find a more positive outlook or just be happier in your life right now without anything external changing, this course is for you.
I coach people who are too hard on themselves and don’t want to be. Let me show you the path to greater self-compassion and more joy.
Please contact me for more details.
Sue Das, CPCC, ACC, B Soc Sc (SW)
Beyond the Shadow 