A New Season

For a while now, I’ve felt like I’m entering a new season of life. The past year has been a reflective time. A season to explore, read, research, and learn. I’ve written posts about the topics that have intrigued me and drawn me into more profound thought:

• The process of change and transition.
• The challenges of aging.
• Learning to be more mindful and attentive.
• Continuing to develop my relationship with God.

As summer settles in, I sense that introspection is morphing into action. My inclination to ponder these topics is waning. Instead, I feel drawn to get out of my head and put these insights into practice. Because it’s only in attempting to apply these insights to my daily life that I can figure out what works and what doesn’t. Many seeds have been planted over the last year, and now it’s time to tend to what is alive and growing with new energy and focus.

This means I’ll be doing less blogging for the summer. I intend to post something twice a month rather than every week. This will allow me to focus on activity rather than introspection.

Maybe you, too, are entering a similar season but haven’t yet recognized it. If so, I hope you can adjust your daily life to encourage this shift and be curious about where it leads you.

Here are a few questions (based on what I’ve been experiencing) that can help you detect whether you’re in a similar situation:

• Do your regular introspective practices (journaling, prayer, meditation, etc.) feel more like a chore than a blessing right now? Are you continuing to do them because you think you “should,” or because they’ve worked for you in the past, rather than because they are feeding your soul right now? (And remember, just because something isn’t working for you right now doesn’t mean it won’t be the right thing to return to in the future.)
• Is there something new you’ve been curious about exploring? Maybe something has been lurking in your mind for a while, refusing to go away. Why aren’t you giving yourself permission to investigate or try this?
• A shift doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Is there something small you can do to experiment with a new practice or change your routine? Many routines change in the summer anyway, so this calendar season is an excellent opportunity to make intentional shifts.

A few weeks of considering these questions have helped me decide on a few intentional changes for the summer. I’m feeling resistant to keeping my writing schedule, so that’s why I’m planning fewer blog posts. I’m also not enthused about all the home projects I had tentatively planned for the summer, so I’m experimenting with ways to get more spontaneous fun into my days. To begin, I’m picking a chunk of time each week to keep free from scheduled appointments and allow myself free time to do whatever I feel like doing that day. (Yeah, it’s a little scary for this diligent planning person.)

I hope a bit of reflection on these questions also helps you realize if there are some intentional changes that would be useful for you this summer.

A Closing Prayer

God, help me be attentive to whatever potential shifts are calling for my attention as we begin the summer months. I want to follow the threads that prompt my curiosity and be courageous enough to try new routines, activities, and ways of thinking. I trust that following whatever tugs at my heart will be worthwhile and let me learn more about myself and You in the process

Change can be scary, so let me notice the longings that lead me to something new and encourage them to get stronger. I’ll remember that change doesn’t have to be drastic – 1% change compounded over time can lead to significant changes that are too overwhelming to do all at once.

Help me to be kind to myself as I try new behaviors, realizing that not all I attempt will work out. Continue to guide me and help me be more aware of how you communicate and encourage my growth.

Amen.