It’s so beautiful in the fall. Fall has always been my favorite season because of the bursts of color, the intoxicating layers of life peeling away and folding into the next season. It’s gorgeous; the leaves all show us their style, then gracefully they fall to the ground, surrendering to their fate of a life well lived.
It’s strange really, how beautiful fall is, yet a lot of the beauty is in dying.
The seasons of nature are like the seasons of our souls. The fall is a time of harvest, reflection, releasing, and clearing out the old to make way for the new.
If you are like me, then lately you may be feeling a shift, a stirring within yourself, an unsettled feeling of awakening, as change is on its way.
A metamorphosis of new beginnings is upon all of us as we step forward into the end of the year. The transition can be overwhelming if we don’t pay attention to the signs that the universe is offering to us. This is a time of inner reflection, going inward and asking yourself:
- Is what I’ve been doing working?
- What in my life feels forced and joyless?
- What habit, pattern or belief no longer serves me?
- What do I want for myself and loved ones?
- Do I like who I am, who I am with, where I live?
- If I could do or be anything, what would I want?
Perhaps there is an area of your life that feels forced. Are you holding on to something that is ready to be released?
This stripping down, peeling back, and shedding the layers that no longer serve you is a part of initiation into your next phase of life. Who you were is not who you will become. So let yourself step forward into the possibilities of what might be, because
you are the dreamer of your amazing dream called life.
What does this mean? You are ready for the next-level you.
The healthier, happier, more fulfilled, less stressed, less frantic and obsessed version of you is here to shine.
But how do we get from where we are to where we want to b? We have to ask ourselves if what we are living is what we really want.
The toughest decision you will ever have to make is whether to walk away or try harder. If you walk away, know that life will never be the same, but most of the time that is because it will be far better than you can ever anticipate. Don’t be afraid to let go, release the old, and step into the new, because that is the nature of your life and the season of your soul.
Still, you may be wondering if it’s time to let go of a dream, habit, or situation and move on with your life.
Here are three simple signs you’re ready:
You no longer feel it in your heart.
Not all dreams, situations, experiences are meant to last forever. When you feel the dream in your heart, it is time to act. Sometimes when we live out a desire, we learn more about them and ourselves, and we realize it is not what we want. If you don’t feel the passion in your heart, it’s time to stop holding on to what no longer feels good and move on.
You feel exhausted from trying to make it work.
If a dream or situation has exhausted you—physically, emotionally, and mentally— you may feel as if it’s too hard to make the desire work. And it might be time to let go. Before I left a corporate job several years ago, it was a constant uphill battle to make it into work. I hated my soul-sucking job and would cry on the way into work. It was a huge chore, and I felt uncomfortable living it out. It was time to let go of that dream so I could open up to my new dream. What is suffocating your soul? This is a clear indicator it is time to let go and step away so you can step into something new.
You start daydreaming about the future.
One of the best signs it is time to move on is when you start to daydream about better ways of being. If you’re living a situation you once wanted but are fantasizing about a new direction in life, realize it might be time to say good-bye to what no longer works.
Many people feel reluctant to throw in the towel on their dreams or certain life experiences because of the sinking feeling they’ve invested a great deal of time, money or energy into it. But when you can turn your attention to the lessons learned and the positive outcome of living out that dream, you’ll be able to see the bigger picture. Remember, everything is connected, so nothing is ever lost or wasted. And all change is growth. You want to go in the direction of change because it is your opportunity for refreshing, new, and exciting opportunities. The growth is in the release. So let go of what is no longer working and step courageously into the you that is emerging.
Your future self will thank you.
Loved this message, your words of wisdom remind us “This or something better” and then trust it’s all for our higher good. Hi-5!
Thanks Shannon <3 As always, this super resonated with me particularly in the romance department. I recently had to let go of someone I care deeply about and really love and admire. It was a hard decision but I love and admire myself even more and it was the right call for me at this moment in my life. Shedding things we are comfortable with is never easy but it's in that discomfort that we often grow the most. Thanks for the reminder, I just sent this over to a friend who I think needs to hear the message <3
Awesome, I am so glad this message could help.
Not wanting to change as you’ve invested so much in it strikes a chord. But as you say lessons learnt carry forward. It’s great wisdom.
I am so glad this could help.
Very apt message for me right now. Fear of the unknown has kept me stuck. But I’m learning to trust and have faith that something better is coming. Love your messages!
My God, this makes a person stop and think about where they are in life. All my life I was told , You Make Your Bed, you lie in it for the rest of your life. After reading this, I realize it doesn’t have to be for your whole life it should be about NOW.
Thank YOu so much Shannon
There wasn’t much about trying harder or differentiating between trying harder and giving up. Although I loved what this had to say, do you have any other posts that cover more of what I mentioned?