Autumn’s important lesson
I love this time of year! Autumn for us in the Southern hemisphere, equally magical is the step into Spring those of you in the north will be making, but for me here in Western Australia there is a fresh chill in the air and a crispness to the days.
Richard and I have just enjoyed a weekend away – our first without the kids in at least 10 years I think 😮 in the Heart of the South. Yes, it was one of my 50 Intentions, part of my extensive Festival of Fifty birthday celebrations, but also our 24th wedding anniversary.
We drove over 1000km and once again marvelled at the vastness of this State, but laughed at how small when we walked into the bar in the hotel we’d booked and bumped into 2 couples we knew. We read up on some of the history, of which we know very little, and appreciated the job our farmers do as they work to beat the odds. The days were beautifully clear, but a warm jacket definitely needed (along with a glass of red) standing in a paddock around a fire for a picnic bbq/braai.
Getting a few throws out to put on the end of the bed and on the lounge for snuggling under and rediscovering my favourite soup recipes brings a simple joy. What I really want to touch on today though is the idea on the image at the top of this email…
Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go!
While many of us wait for the enthusiastic Spring Cleaning, how about taking a ‘leaf’ out of autumn’s book – sorry couldn’t help myself 😉- and letting go of some clutter. It can be physical, emotional or mental clutter – it all holds unnecessary space! An article on the Very Well Mind website about decluttering describes the Impact of Clutter on Mental Health as contributing “to the inability to think clearly, which can contribute to stress and low energy”.
As we switch seasons we have the perfect opportunity to cull items from our wardrobes that we haven’t worn over the past 6 months, or those that may have been very well worn. I have to ask myself just how many old t-shirts I need to hold on to for doing jobs in the garden or house! We can take stock of our pantry and fridge as we start changing our meals, linen cupboards too as the extra blankets and throws come out with the warmer sheets.
Perhaps more difficult to do is the mental declutter! How about deleting some apps, games, social media accounts or distancing ourselves from toxic relationships.
Experts like Sally Flower from the Motherhood series will tell us it isn’t only about the ‘stuff’, but the underlying reason it is there in the first place. What are we hanging on to by keeping some items – is it perceived value, the emotion or memory associated? Do we have decision fatigue??!! Um hello my hands are up for this one!
What will you commit to letting go of this week lovely lady? Let’s motivate, inspire and hold each other accountable to creating and celebrating more space in our lives so we too can dance like a leaf on the wind.
Leaving you with “Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.”
Emily Bronte