ometimes doing less is harder than doing more
 
A short story,
By Lucy Lord.
 
As we ease gently into the autumnal energy,
The leaves starting to crisp,
Our pjs becoming ugly (yet functional) fleeces,
And the reliable ugg boots emerge from the trenches of the cupboard under the stairs,
I’m reminded of the importance of leaning into seasonal changes.
 
Of living fully in the world around us,
Noticing the changing light and temperature,
Hunkering down that half hour earlier,
Allowing the coffee warm in a blanket bundle on the sofa,
Instead of downed quickly whilst pounding the streets in the sun that hasn’t yet risen.
 
As Lucy and I walked along the coastline yesterday morning,
We were chatting about our fear of regret,
Of waking up one morning in Spring,
Realising we’re still exhausted.
 
That we didn’t embrace the opportunity that darker nights and later mornings asked of us,
The opportunity to recuperate,
Hibernate,
And restore.
 
The potential that in Spring,
We’re left feeling stifled in creativity,
Whilst waking up at the crack of early dawn,
Being unable (and unwilling) to sleep until darkness,
Knowing that if we’d used our winters wisely,
We’d be thriving,
Ready to utilise the upcoming seasons to our advantage,
Embracing the potential they offer.
 
There’s a reason that animals hibernate for winter,
It allows them to gather energy,
Reap the benefits of their hard earned nut storage of summer,
Stay warm,
And probably many more scientific reasons but I’m not David Attenborough ok.
 
Most trees shed their leaves each winter,
They conserve their energy,
Before growing back each spring.
 
With our hustle-focused,
Preoccupied,
Capitalist lives,
It’s easy to forget that we live in a world full of seasonal change.
 
The cycle of the seasons is so comforting because it happens every year,
Are we leaning into this comfort and safety?
 
I wonder if this week,
You can look at the world changing around you and consider,
How am I leaning into this season?
 
Am I forcing myself to get up and rush through my morning like a casual summers day,
Am I staying up much later than planned,
And trying to fit my usual day within what is effectively,
A day that has 2 hours less light?
 
Or am I noticing the seasonal changes around me,
Allowing them to outweigh the worries and voices in my head.
 
Am I adapting the way that I take care of myself and my body?
Switching out freezing cold long walks for shortened cosy strolls and some restorative yoga?
 
I recognise of course,
That if you have kids,
A routine shift isn’t possible,
And if you do shift work,
The same applies.
 
Really,
There are many other life stressors that don’t make as much space for the leaning in.
 
But I ask you,
What changes can you make to connect with the seasons,
And create a sense of grounding,
That supports you,
Your nervous system,
And therefore,
Your relationship with food and your wellbeing.
 
If you struggle with rest,
I made this exclusive resource for ETPHD clients,
You can get it free here.
 
And as a side note entirely,
You may have seen last week I shared a night-time overeating resource with some people on Instagram,
And I know, you,
My favourite people,
Will benefit from it if you overeat too.
Get it here.
 
Have a lovely weekend,
Autumnal or otherwise,
I’m always here,
Em x