| Ah, the new year. Full of promise, potential and hope. I’m not one to set “resolutions” in the new year. I find that—for me—doing that sort of thing can lead to temporary changes and not long term improvements. I’m more of a marathon kind of girl. I like the long haul—the vast journeys with lots of twists and turns and ups and downs. I like something I can sink my teeth into and commit to. For me, that takes some of the pressure off. When things must be done fast or in compressed amounts of time, I get anxious. My brain short circuits and I’m unable to perform well. This doesn’t always serve me well, especially in my riding when I need to be able to react—with intention—quickly. In the midst of a 4-minute jump course, there’s little time to pause and reflect; it’s about trusting your instincts and moving forward. |
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| Actual footage of my brain under pressure |
| On a walk this morning, I realized there’s a balance to be struck between the “pause and reflect” and the “hit the gas” approaches. It’s not really surprising that this came to me while out walking. You know, nature really does know a thing or two about a thing or two. |
| Here we are, right in the dead of winter. The trees are bare, utterly vulnerable, revealing their bones. The ground is hard and unforgiving; the leaves have fallen to the ground—totally oblivious that they’re dead. But nature understands something that is true for all of us: there is no lamenting the seasons. There is no despair in beginnings and endings. Because they are simply part of this beautiful circle of life. Nature moves forward with beautiful force. There is strength and grace in its movement but a strong will that is undeniable. A reminder that we – all of us – are nature. |
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| Nature knows its purpose. It knows every season of life is connected. It knows that death, destruction and decay give way to new birth, beauty and becoming. Nature is always in flow. And I think that’s what we’re all striving to get back to. We all want to be in harmony with our truest selves, our nature. |
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| To be in harmony, we must know who we are and have a sense of purpose. We must keep moving forward. We have to be willing to withstand the gusts of wind that unmoor us. It will surely happen. We must always have hope for a new season of life that will bring new joy and hope into our world. That, too, will surely happen. We must also be willing to give ourselves grace and know that none of us are perfect. Nature can be messy and broken—it has to be! How else can it reassemble itself into something as perfect and beautiful as a flower? |
| So my hope for this year is that I am able to get into my flow. I hope to be brave enough to react quickly when I need to and hit the gas when I can see the long stretch of life’s highway unfold in front of me. I also need to be able to slow down and settle in for a long pause when it’s time. |
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| This is my hope for you, too. What about you? I’d love to know more about what you’re thinking about for 2024. If you feel like sharing, hit “reply” – I read every one. Here’s to 2024! 🎉 |