Spring is on the Other Side
12 MINUTE READ
So many of us, hopefully, fully embrace and enjoy those times when we can travel through a serene and lush forest, or whatever that happens to be symbolic of in our day-to-day lives, just enjoying the breath of it all. If we do not, meaning we go through the motions but miss the experience offered or else constantly take it for granted, that simply means we have not yet been faced with enough “mountains” in our lives. Or, we have not gleamed from our mountains what was necessary. Until we do, I believe that our mountains will not slow their pace with respect to how they present or what they present within our lives.
We have to move forward in life, there is no time machine ready and able to take us back. If we do not move forward of our own volition the universe will make us. So, whether we are willing or forced to tackle the “mountain” in front of us, what is it that drives us forward? For me, it is hope in the belief that things are not always what they seem. I believe we find the umph to make our way through whatever perilous journey exists in front of us for the simple reason of hopefulness. Hopefulness in finding prosperity in something, anything on “the other side” that ends up somehow, someway making it all worthwhile.
The shadows of life are our forever traveling companions that we will never shake, but maybe we can find the adventure in what they bring by observing things through a different lens. Can we recognize all the beauty and grace that exists in any situation, even that found in both hardships and necessity? Is it possible for us to discover beauty in the peace and the pain, in the joy and the sadness, as well as in what is easy and what is difficult? All of this encapsulates our story, and we must take responsibility for our choices here as we are the sole storytellers of our lives.
Give yourself the gift of freedom, the freedom to transform your reality.
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There are cycles and seasons that constantly come and go in a person’s life. Consider this. Especially now, as winter has recently come to a close and spring has arrived.
What comes after the harshness, bleakness, and mourning of winter? Spring.
What is symbolic of spring? New beginnings, fresh starts, the potential in a blank canvas, the possibilities of a clean slate, brighter days and so on.
Consider familiarizing yourself with more perspectives and ideas with respect to spring by first reviewing my article The Fulfillment of Springtime. I hope it will offer inspiration as you make your way in embracing nature’s newest spring.
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“Falling on hard times” is always unexpected, which is why we fall on them in the first place. Nevertheless, we all know these times are not so uncommon. No matter who you are or where you are, no matter your past, present, or planned future, nobody is exempt. Like the seasons, problem times are going to present, but one of the signs of a wholly healthy and balanced individual focused on growth and development as a human being is the ability to muster the will to overcome those hurdles and push to make things work in whatever ways are possible.
The “tests” of our lives allow us to gain experience and nurture wisdom so that next time around and make no mistake there will be a next time, we can see and do things differently. We can make different choices. In the end, every lesson learned adds to our lives. Lessons never take away from us, even if we feel like they do during the worst of times. Lessons add to our story by inserting color, dimension, and uniqueness, all of which are representative of the vibrancy and spirit of springtime.
Assuming we have handled the difficult times presented to us less than ideally, we need to find a way to release the shame attached to that situation. Instead, we need to focus our energies on how those experiences, whether we wish them away or not, will benefit us in the future.
We must be strong by facing, understanding, and accepting our emotions, all of our emotions, surrounding a given experience, as they are all valid. All human emotions are valid, even the less than desirable ones. You know the ones I mean, those ones that make us human and strip away our cloak of “perfection”.
We must be brave by letting go of the shame we inflict upon ourselves, and the judgements others inflict upon us from the outside looking in.
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We need to evolve as a result of our obstacles. In doing so, I promise how we handle future adversities will change for the better. What we learn from the impossible times are the seeds needed for what we can grow when we are able to find our way past them. If we are not mindful of learning from these impossible times then the light of what they have to offer is wasted because we cannot say that we were able to make, grow, or build anything as a result of them happening. We simply let those times knock us around and nonchalantly said to ourselves “OK, moving on now”.
I firmly believe that if we get through something and ignore the teachable moments that would allow us to do the work to uncover some benefit for ourselves and our future, that it will come back to haunt us in the end. Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Either it will rear its familiar head again in the near or perhaps even far future, or a new difficulty will arise wearing a different face but still intending to teach the same lessons again based on the same general theme.
Consider themes when facing the struggles of life. In doing so, we might be able to see where we are allowing the problems presented to take us down. If we can recognize where the gap is, then we can nourish the seeds of change. This will not stop new hard times from rolling around at some point, but I truly believe that at least next time the story can be different, and the doors will be open for an opportunity to develop another piece of self that is worth knowing and having.
When we are in our final “season”, so to speak, how much depth and richness will we harbor?
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Please remember that the challenges life throws at us are meant to “test our mettle”. As painful as they can be, I do not believe the universe means for them to be vindictive. I believe they are instead brought into existence to teach us practicality.
We all reap what we sow, so manifesting honesty, forgiveness, and patience for oneself and others, although difficult and requiring a lot of practice and commitment, will help us succeed in being able to go both fast and far in our lives.
We need to recognize that the difficult waves are what we are wading through externally, but they impact us internally as much as we allow them to and in the ways that we allow them to, as well. The inner journey is something that only we have the power to control, but we so often give up the reigns to whatever is happening on the outside.
I think that we are all aware that change is inevitable, but how we end up surviving that change and who we become after having experienced it is within our control and up to us entirely. The experiences may have won by changing our lives, but they did not beat us if we found the will to decide for ourselves what that change was going to mean to us and for us moving forward.
Perspective can change everything that comes our way no matter how bad things seems in the moment.
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So, before you open the door that will finally allow you to move on to the next chapter ask yourself some questions.
What of this “mess” should I take with me from now on to consider when I make future choices in regard to my thoughts, actions, words, behaviors, etc.?
What needs to be left here at the doorstep as bad energy offering absolutely no positive and forward momentum?
I think it is so difficult for us to focus our attention on these questions because they present at the end of the “battle”, when we are already exhausted, and we just want to go through that door and forget. Again, that which we forget repeats itself when the time is right. We need to try to be mindful of discernment before finally leaving that space.
If we practice trying to gain some level of understanding and healthy balance at the end of things, and we get good at it then we will become better equipped to be aware of and embrace the positive opportunities waiting throughout our trials and tribulations, before we even get to the end. This would put us in a much healthier mindset where the healing has already begun even before we are confronted with that final door. Think about how much easier this could make things for us in the grand scheme of things as life is so often about approaching problems.
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Exercises worth contemplating when faced with those seemingly relentless storms:
1) Count on others whether it be online communities with the same ethos as yours or people in your lives that are healthy support systems known to make you feel empowered as opposed to dragging you down or making you feel defeated. Connect with them, lean into them, and converse with them. However, my advice would be to not look for these communities or people to take on or fix your problems as that is unfair to expect that of them and it is a disservice to yourself and your own capabilities as well.
2) Celebrate! I cannot say this enough. Find your smile and the ability to laugh at something even during the treacherous times in your life. Acknowledge and pat yourself on the back for the small wins and accomplishments along the way. For example, say because this happened to me, I did this and I never thought I would ever be able to do this, but through adversity I proved that I could. If we celebrate then we take these seemingly inconsequential things happening beneath the falling rubble and make them bigger in our minds. We make them much, much more. We need to realize how greatly that will impact and improve our mental health during such arduous times.
3) If the problems keep coming without fail and you are having a string of what is generally stated as “very bad luck”, then do your best to control the things around you that you are actually capable of influencing. This will help as it speaks to resilience and mindset. Consider opportunities to “declutter” your life by analyzing your relationships, your habits, and your daily routines.
What choices can you make that will improve these parts of your lives during the difficulties?
Also, consider literally decluttering your environment, spring cleaning in a sense. If you are surrounded by a mess, you’re more likely to, at least to some percentage, produce a mess in regard to how you think, feel, or even behave.
What do you need?
What brings you peace?
What has truly brought about happiness in your life as opposed to your thinking that it was supposed to or that it should?
Then, Maybe let go of all the rest and clear the table for newness when you finally come out the other side.
4) Meditation can be such a worthwhile tool when the going gets tough.
The article Confidence in Meditation explains a little about meditation having an important place during the scary times in life.
Exploring the Storm Within is an example of a very simple 5-minute meditation with a big message and it can help to wet your feet with respect to further exploration of the meditative world.
5) Immerse yourself in tarot even if you just see it as a fun respite from the “too much” of what is going on around you.
My article The Symbolic Journey of Beltane and Tarot is centered around springtime with respect to cycles and seasons. It might be a good read to pique your interest and perhaps get you started.
6) What do you think would make your life more bearable during the hard times?
Trust your intuition and never be afraid to try to make your thoughts and ideas a reality no matter your circumstances.
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Poetry is a powerful tool used to indirectly bring ideas of value to the surface for continued learning and subsequent healing. Keeping with this sentiment, the poem, See It Through, eloquently and succinctly speaks to everybody and anybody about the need to confront and if it comes to it then to be able to pick yourself back up. The context inspires a perspective of learning and growth through adversity. Perhaps recognizing that the title alone says it all and can apply to any struggle in life, big or small, ongoing or short lived, will open the flood gates in ways not yet realized or in ways that we never DREAMED possible.
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If you were moved by anything that I had to contribute here please contact me regarding your experience. I am excited to travel this path and learn along with you. I look forward to our communications.
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