Summer meets autumn in a bumpy ride!
Where two major oceans collide, there's turbulence, and it's exactly the same at the transition point between two major seasons. You've been feeling it right? Tired, overwhelmed, and confused one moment, excited, inspired and energised the next. Whether it's up or down, it's unsettling, right?
I've been noticing it myself, and I'm hearing the same from lots of clients, colleagues and friends. The awful thing is, these ups and downs of energy and emotions often come with buckets of guilt/shame/overwhelm/worry/frustration.
Here's the thing, you really aren't alone, and it's not you. It's not your fault!!
Seasonally, we're in that strange transition time between summer and autumn. Two very different energies. Summer is a very outward, "yang"energy. It's sociable and active, bright and "out there". Autumn, on the other hand, is slower, more thoughtful. More inward, and a time of reassessment of energy and priorities - sometimes gentle yet discerning, sometimes a frenzied windstorm of change!
The transition from summer to autumn has been particularly confronting this year in the UK, after a long, dry, hot, seemingly-never-ending summer which, pretty much overnight, turned into a wet, blustery, chilly autumn. Combine that with the usual school holidays, client holidays, your own holidays, child-wrangling, nasty viruses/summer bugs, the back-to-school/new term vibes plus everything going on globally (and let's not pretend for a second that that doesn't add to the turbulence we feel in our own lives, whether or not we're directly impacted), and some pretty potent astrology (hello eclipse season!), the transition from the lighter half of the year towards the darker half of the year is an especially rocky one this time!
🍂 You might find yourself feeling energised and optimistic in one moment, and the next, wanting nothing more than to curl up under a duvet, in tears because you just don't know how to do it all.
🍂 Perhaps you have a gazillion ideas for a new project and go at it all-engines-blazing one day, but the next you struggle to get yourself out of bed and feel like giving it all up.
🍂 Maybe one week you feel bubbly and sociable and find yourself booking in lots of networking meetings, chats with friends and planning new regimes, and the next.... you get the idea!
Sound familiar?! It's not easy. It can feel like an exhausting and confusing whirlwind at times. The challenge is, often we end up catastrophising and believing that this is it.
I want to reassure you that this too shall pass!
This up/down/stop/start rollercoaster is a seasonal phenomenon that I recognise from my own cycles, having paid attention to them closely for the last few years. (And, for what it's worth, this isn't necessarily just an annual thing....we all have our own seasons and transitions, both in our life experiences and, for many of us, a monthly/moon cycle basis too). Simply knowing this, and recognising that it's not me, it's the season, that this is uncomfortable but normal, helps me navigate the turbulence of these times.
How do I do this?
Here are some strategies I use that you might find helpful:
🔥 Wrap up and get out in nature - even (or especially) if the weather is "bad". Aim to embrace the joy of the season with a blustery walk, feeling the wind and/or rain on your face and noticing the colours. Acceptance is freedom....and joy is delightful! Plus the added bonus of fresh air and endorphin-boosting exercise.
🔥 Bring compassion to yourself. This is how it is right now, and you're doing the best you can.
🔥 Go with the flow. If you feel the urge for an autumnal clear-out, great! Go for it! If today is a hide-under-the-duvet day, and you can, great! Do it!
🔥 Plan some autumn activities you enjoy and can look forward to. Maybe it's foraging for nuts, snuggling down under a blanket with a good movie or book, heading to see some autumn colours, planning an autumn equinox ritual or looking forward to your first pumpkin spice latte...there's lots to love about autumn!
🔥 Notice what Nature is doing at this time of year. She's up and down too
🔥 Let the emotions flow. Sometimes we just need a good cry or an angry rage into a pillow or a scream into a towel. It takes precious energy to hold it all in and pretend you're fine. Let it out.
🔥 Nourish yourself where you can, especially if summer wasn't restful for you. Think of it as gathering in your resources for the winter ahead, just as our ancestors would done. Nurture that precious body, mind and heart of yours.
🔥 Allow yourself some darker time - such as screen-free evenings or minimal artificial/blue light - to help your circadian rhythm to adapt to the darker season.
🔥 Consider investing in a sunrise lamp (I swear by my Lumie lamp) to help you wake up more naturally on darker mornings.
🔥 Repeat to yourself the mantra: "This too shall pass". It really will. Keep the faith.
🔥 Reach out for support. I lean on my coach, friends, body/energy workers and community more than ever at this time of year (except when I'm hiding under the duvet 😉). You don't have to do this alone. You're not meant to!
Let me know if this resonates with you. And if you need some support navigating these turbulent times, reach out. I have a few 1-1 coaching spaces available at the moment to support awesome women like you through the next 6 months (or more). Together we're stronger!
One final suggestion
🔥 On Tuesday 21st October, 10am-12:30pm, I’m running my "Wheel of the Year: Working with Nature's Seasons and Cycles" workshop, and I’d love you to join me!
You'll discover even more about the power of tuning into - and harnessing - the energy and power of each of the five main seasons (yes, we work with five, not four!), the eight Celtic fire festivals, five powerful women's archetypes and eight seasonal focuses to guide and support you through your year.
If you can’t make the workshop but this post has been useful to you, head to the bottom of the page to claim your free seasonal meditation and subscribe to more wild wisdom dropping into your inbox at timely moments!