As each year comes to an end and New Year's Eve approaches most people start thinking of the upcoming year and plan out their New Year Resolutions. They seem to feel that since it's the beginning of the year it's time to make the changes they need to make in their lives. I'm all about Resolution's and changes but I just never felt motivated on January 1. I think its because where I live it's dark and dreary and cold and miserable. I like the cold when it's snow but constant rain really depresses me and usually I start to feel cabin fever. Lots of non motivated feelings so usually my resolutions would last a week if I was lucky. But that was when I realized that I was on fire with my emotions and my thoughts in the fall.
I absolutely love fall. I love the beauty of it, the smell of it, and the feel of it. Everywhere you look is breath taking beauty. The reds, gold, browns, with a hint of green is eye catching. Some people feel sad because they say everything looks like it is dying. But is it really? Nature is just getting ready for a long winters nap. Shedding off the old and getting ready for the new. Are we not supposed to live like that. The past we can't change, the present we live and try our best, the future is full of dreams and opportunities to do something amazing or to try something new. Nature doesn't worry about what it could have been or worry about the branch on the tree that never grew leaves, or the grass that never sprouted up. Instead it prepares itself all through the winter to make sure that come spring everything grows better. Ever watch an apple tree that was ignored. The first year you prune it down to nothing in the fall. Come spring it sends shoots off and grows new branches and possibly some blossoms will mature into fruit. The next year it grows more branches which produces more fruit. The year after that even more. At any given time it does not worry that it started as a very pruned tree it just continues to do better every year.
If nature can strive to do better then us humans need to take lessons from nature and do that with our lives. We need to leave the past in the past and live for the future. We need to stop beating ourselves up for things we have done or not done. When I go outside and allow myself to be surrounded by the smells and images of fall I can't help but to feel inspired. I feel this fire of gratitude and hope ignite inside of me until its a raging fire and I can't help but to get off my behind and do something with it.
Many of biggest events in my life was made know in the fall. It all started six years ago when the biggest dream of my life happened I got to go to Disneyland for the first time ever. Two years ago I decided to put my house in town up for sale so I could buy a piece of property and start my homesteading venture. Last year we decided to fence our yard and revamp our old barn so our horses could come out of boarding and be at home with us. This year we have decided to put our business up for sale so we can get on with our lives and move to where we really want to go. Where that is we don't quite know yet. Next October will probably give me that answer. So you see the fall really motivates me. This year I've been motivated to get my health in check and to get my kids ready for public school for the following year and to support my husband in the sale of our business. Amazing how a season can get someone to do things they normally wouldn't do.
The next time you are walking down the street as leaves are falling down around you and the air is crisp let your mind wander you too might find that Autumn inspires you too.
