The Season You Are Actually In

We have just passed the 1st of June and here in New Zealand that marks the official start of winter.

Going by the number of layers, scarves, and cups of tea that have suddenly become part of my daily routine, I can confirm that winter has definitely arrived.

Growing up in the Northern Hemisphere, June marked the beginning of summer. Longer days. Warmer weather. The feeling that life was opening up.

The same date. A completely different season.

The contrast between those two experiences got me thinking about seasons.

Not the seasons of the year, but the seasons of life.

One of the challenges of modern life is that we often expect ourselves to be growing, producing, and moving forward all the time.

Yet nature offers a different lesson.

A garden doesn't bloom all year.

Trees don't produce fruit in every season.

Winter isn't a failure. It's part of the cycle.

The same is true for us.

Sometimes the most important work we do is not building, producing, or striving. Sometimes it is noticing, restoring, reflecting, and preparing for what comes next.

The wisdom lies not in forcing ourselves into a different season, but in recognising where we are and responding accordingly.

This week, pause for a moment and ask yourself:

What season of life am I in right now?

Not the season you wish you were in.
Not the season you think you should be in.

The season you are actually experiencing.

Then consider:

What might this season be inviting me to learn, notice, or embrace?

You may be surprised by what emerges when you stop pushing against the season and start listening to it.