Falling into Fall: Breathe Deeply and Let Go

After an active month of harvesting and storing the "fruits" of this year's business labors (in the form of a bushel of new private clients signing up for new coaching programs in the past two months) the pace and energy of life is finally settling into its post harvest rhythm - a reminder that fall - heralded by that harvest - is finally here.  After all of that harvest energy and activity - and with the days shortening, the leaves changing color, and the temperatures ever so subtly cooling - I feel a growing desire to turn inward, to get cozy, to connect or reconnect with my creative soul.  A desire to let go and be still.

It's a desire that despite all my years on the planet of living and learning who I am and how I best operate - I sometimes struggle to fulfill.  And if that's true for me, what is it like for folks like you who might be working in an organization where the pace is "go go" harvest like all year round?  For folks with busy jobs and weekends filled with errands and/or their kid's activities?  

When fall beckons you to let go, slow down and be still - how do you do so when the world around you is revolving at top speed?

I find "conscious" balanced breathing to be a handy and efficient tool to use "in-the-moment" when I need help accessing and connecting with the deeper quiet peace of my inner world.  When the world around you is swirling and twirling - taking a few long and slow deep breaths in and out - in the moment - will work wonders to help you ground and center.  I know it did for me earlier in the week as I transitioned from the bustle of harvest and the hosting of out of town guests - back into the work world and it's pent up demands.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Do this for a few breaths.  (Less than five minutes will do the trick).  Balance the count in of your inhale with the count out of your exhale.  Notice what happens as you do.  Your autonomic nervous system will love you for this!

Balanced breathing doesn't have to take a lot of time and you can do it anywhere and everywhere.  In your car on the way to work when you get cut off by that annoying guy in the Mercedes.  Breathe in, breathe out.  In the meeting with your boss and second line to discuss your product's roadmap - and the "opportunities" (a.k.a. challenges) therewith.  Breathe in, breathe out.  In any and all interactions with your tweens and teens.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Simple.  Effective.  And often the only tool available to us - in the moment, when life or the proverbial poop is hitting the fan - to help us ground, center, and "fall into" a more quiet and resourceful state of being.

While extremely helpful in creating quiet and stillness, breathing isn't what I originally came here to write about though.  What I really wanted to write about is the fall season and the thoughts and questions I've been pondering about since reading a post written by of one of my more favorite (and inspirational) bloggers over at Hullabaloo Homestead - a blog written by an amazing photographer, writer, and homesteading mother of 5.  In her post, she writes "just as the beautiful leaves release and fall from the trees" fall is a time for us to release and let go as well. "A time for letting go.  A time for preparing.  A time to hunker down and be with ourselves and our thoughts in quiet and stillness".

I'd already "felt" the desire for quiet and stillness - but what caught my attention in her post was the part about letting go.  And ever since - I've been reflecting on the concept of "letting go" ( and how and why deciduous trees shed their leaves this time of the year) and asking myself  the following questions.

Just as the trees are shedding their leaves - what am I innately and naturally releasing and letting go of this time of year as part of my annual growth cycle?    

What can I let go of to fall into fall's delicious post harvest quite and stillness?  

Even if our "outside" lives are busy and demanding, what can we release and let go of to fall into alignment with the season, and in doing so, fall into alignment with the earth's and our very own innate growth cycles, rhythms, and energy?  

Because the fun fact about leaves falling is that it's the tree itself that is doing the severing of ties with the leaf as part of it's annual growth cycle.  (Super short and interesting NPR Science post on that process here.) Where once those leaves provided nourishment, if they were to stay on the tree instead of falling - they may get water logged, freeze, and die there.  New leaves would not be able to grow and the tree would perish as a result.

So what can you let go of to further your annual growth?  Trusting that new nourishing "leaves" will appear in seasons to come?

I've noticed some clients doing a superb job of "letting go" this fall.  One let go of "playing it nice" and instead - boldly claimed (from their boss) the presenting of materials (that they had prepared) to their executive team - receiving rave (career boosting) reviews as a result.  Another is in the process of shedding emotional baggage and diminishing connections with people who drain rather than uplift them.  Me?  I'm letting go of visioning and planning for the far distant future - content for the time being to focus instead on the present moment and what's in front of me right now - like the gorgeous gold, orange and red leaves of fall that I see all around me - and sharing them with you here.  I'm slowing my pace and making space and time for quiet, stillness and reflection - trusting that this is exactly where I need to be and what I need to be doing in order to flourish and grow.  

What about you?