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Slowing Down
In today’s episode of Working Towards Our Purpose, I wanted to talk about slowing down and giving ourselves a bit more grace as the year wraps up and we get into the winter months.
The Power of Moving With the Seasons
With shorter days, colder weather, and so many familial obligations, I used to get frustrated by December’s pace. The month just seemed to slip by, and the list of things I had to do never quite got completed. This year, that feeling started to creep in again, but this time, I remembered a lesson I learned from some farmer friends.
Taking a Note From Our Farmer Friends
Over the last few years I’ve done a lot of work in the farmers market community and I got to make some friends with farmers. One of the biggest lessons I learned from them, is to slow down during this time of year. The weather gets colder, less things grow, and there’s just less work to be done on the farm. This season isn’t made for maximum output. Nature slows down, and maybe we should too. Not every time of year demands the same output, and it’s okay to adapt to the season and not be as productive. It’s okay to do a little resting.
Letting Go of Pressure
I recently realized that I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to finish two major projects before the end of the year, a self imposed deadline. But after realizing that my expectations weren’t matching reality, I finally gave myself permission to extend one of those deadlines. I had made good progress on the first project but hadn’t yet started the second. I decided they didn’t both need to get done by the end of the year. Once I let go of that deadline, I actually started to make progress on that project I hadn’t started. Sometimes, releasing this self inflicted pressure helps you move forward in unexpected ways.
Permission to Be Gentle
So today’s episode is a reminder that it’s okay to slow down. Be gentle with yourself, listen to your body, and to recognize that you don’t have to keep hustling at the same pace all year round. Moving with the seasons is natural. This is your permission to take it easier, rest, reflect, and enjoy what’s left of this year.
Let me know in the comments, are you slowing down during this season?
This article was drafted with the help of AI (castmagic: podcast to text) but then reviewed and edited by a human being.