To argue, or not to argue?

Arguing with reality and embracing friction.

For top performers or individuals who have experienced some type of trauma, it is a tough thing to be alone, to slow down, or simply be still. We associate our worth with productivity; we perceive that if we slow down, we are contributing less, equating to we are worth less, and when we stop and be still, our mind is on overdrive. We are forced to face the internal dialogue we have avoided by occupying the space with work, books, podcasts, T.V., and anything in between (sometimes very destructive vices) to avoid our personal reality. Our fears.

With the change of seasons, I find this friction heightened by the limitation of action and inability to move my body due to the bitter winters of the north.

Arguing with reality.

I find my greatest peace when I am outside in nature. Walking. Gardening. Feet in the dirt. The heat on my skin. My eyes closed with the sun kissing my cheeks. My mind is calmer. I feel more centered. There is positive energy surrounding me.

So when the frozen tundra takes over outside and locks me inside, I feel the imbalance and friction instantly. The mere thought of being unable to go outside, walk, or garden sets me into a panic, and my mind goes into overdrive.

I argue with reality. I resist the change.

This mindset doesn’t serve me well. It doesn’t serve anyone well. When you argue with you’re reality, when you try to avoid a situation, when you choose to look away and not pay attention to what you are doing or how you are feeling, you become complacent to a reality that could quite, in fact, treat you more gently and kindly than you think. Your imagination is convincing you that you have something to fear. Your reality is not in your mind. It is in how you choose to live.

Embrace the friction.

In the winter, the grass dies, plants go dormant, and animals hibernate. Mother Nature is telling the world it needs to slow down and rest. This is by design and is not an accident. It is intentional and purposeful. Even our skin renews itself regularly, shedding its layers every 28 days or so (longer the older you get).

This cycle of rejuvenation is not because we aren’t capable of survival; it is because we are intended to live a life of revival. Bringing forth a new version of life. A better version, a stronger version than what was created the season before.

So, instead of arguing with reality and just surviving, what if we embraced the friction. Accepted the seasons of change and leaned into it. Slow down, rest, and nurture our mind, body, and soul so that when the next season of life comes around, we come back with renewed life, vitality, and purpose.

Revival over survival.

Check out my new Instragam page for the Amuse Bouche blog. I would be so grateful for a follow and a share with someone you think my storytelling will resonate with.

In a small way, I am embracing the season and participating in life in a new way.