Have you noticed that the days are getting shorter and the leaves are falling from the trees. Soon, there will be less bounty and abundance being offered from the flowers and plants.Take the cues from Mother Nature who is letting go of excess and stripping down to the essentials – to what is really necessary to get through the long, dark winter.
The older I get the more I realize that this metaphor applies to my life too! The years are getting shorter, family friends and good health are slowly slipping away. I am moving into my Winter years of life. 🥴
No time to fuk around!
Imagine what might happen if trees never shed their leafs? Yes, they might not ever look bare, and there is comfort in always looking full and abundant. However, if the trees never shed their leafs, they would never have space or opportunity to grow new leafs – new ideas, new projects, new beliefs, new opportunities.
At this time of the year Mother Nature reminds us to take the time to clean out and let go of what no longer serves you in your life.
This simple and special Autumn ritual let's you identify and release the things in your life that you should let go of:
#1. Carve out some special time for yourself and go to an outdoor place that feels sacred to you: a park, a stream, a path in the woods.
You’ll want to bring paper and a pen.
#2. Once you’ve arrived at your sacred outdoor space, sit down in a comfortable place and settle yourself. Connect with nature. Feel your seat on the ground, and take a couple of nice, deep breathes in – taking in the Autumn air and the energy of releasing and letting go. Next, use your paper and pen and answer the following questions. Take some time to really feel into these questions:
What in your life or work currently feels like a burden to you?
What habits or patterns leave you feeling tired, overwhelmed, or bored?
What is currently wasting your time?
What are you most scared of right now?
#3. Review your answers, and create a list of 3 things that you know you are really ready to let go of. This list should be things that you know, in your heart, are no longer serving you, even though they might feel comfortable for you.
#4. Find 3 rocks; small, large, you decide.
Each of these rocks will represent one thing that you are ready to release, surrender, and let go of. Be clear for yourself what each rock represents. Take a moment as you pick up each rock from the ground, close your eyes, feel the rock in your hand and say to yourself, “This rock represents my fear of success” or “This rock represents my addiction to sugar” or “This rock represents my relationship with my…”. Really allow each rock to take on the energy of each thing you want to release.
#5. Go on a mindful walk with your three rocks. On this walk, make note of all the ways that each of your “rocks” have gotten in your way of happiness and success. Then, as you are ready, let each rock go, one by one. Drop them to the ground, really feeling that you are symbolically letting go of each. If you are near water, you can throw each rock into the water, listening to the splash each rock makes as it hits the surface and sinks down. Then take a moment to notice how it feels in your body to commit to releasing each of these things.
#6. The last step is to write down a NEXT ACTION step for each of your items. For example, if one of your items is your addiction to sugar, a next action step might be to cut sugar out after 9pm. Bring your NEXT ACTION sheet home, and keep it somewhere that you’ll be reminded of it often.
You can even put a small pile of leaves on top of your NEXT ACTION sheet to help you stay focused.
This Autumn ritual is a great way to align your inner and outer energy-your thoughts and actions -and release old fears, resentments, habits, patterns, limiting beliefs.
Happy Fall Y’all!