Throughout our lives, we will experience different seasons, just as we experience fall before the cold winter. I have always believed strongly in the seasons of our lives though I don’t view them as spring, summer, fall, and winter. I believe in each season as a learning and teaching experience, with no specific time frame. We learn the priority for this time and where we should focus our energy.
Within every season of our lives as Moms, our children are our primary focus, although we always want to do more as an individual. By learning to step back, look at the season, and just enjoy and focus on it, you will find things open up in areas you haven’t focused on and can find renewed energy in.
As an example, having a newborn at home means you are not doing much but surviving- sometimes it’s easy and other times it is a daily struggle. Don’t worry if the house isn’t pristine or if you can’t do all the things you want. Accepting the season we are in does not mean we are failing in our lives; it means that right now, within this season, our focus is specific. Your season with a newborn can and most likely will not look like your friends’ season with a newborn. Don’t expect it to and understand you both will act and accomplish different things.
When I accepted the season I was in, the time became more important and vibrant. I know these are strange words to use, but they express how enjoyable each season was. Don’t get me wrong, there were challenges, but I never felt overwhelmed by them. I was constantly in the moment. I was aware of what our family life was like at the time. I knew what I could do differently to make things run smoother. It is easier to accomplish the things of priority, and the list of priorities is less when things are clearer in specific seasons. I even had time for some hobbies (in small doses) but I had to work at it.
I still have to remind myself to accept the season of my life, however. This generally occurs when I feel like I continue to run into roadblocks for things I want to accomplish or do. Most times, I step back, put it aside, and move back to it later and I can finish with no issue or make more progress than I had. Sometimes we have to back away from things to get the most out of each season. I know for some this goes against their personality and they fight the idea of seasons. I get that, yet I know that if you have this personality type, STOP, step back and try to just be in your current season for a week and see what happens. It’s like self-care for the soul, see for yourself if the inner struggles start going away.
Currently, my new season is empty nester, which is a big change. I have time to do so many things. It’s almost overwhelming. What I do know about the seasons of my life is that each season is a time of growth, sometimes minimal and sometimes great. Sometimes the season you are in may seem like you are not learning or growing, and you know what that is possible, but what you may not realize is this season is preparing you for the next.
