Time to Pause
This morning I went for a walk in the woods behind my house. It’s that time of year when winter’s line is blurring into spring, and spring is beginning to win. The trees remain leafless, and yet, if you look closely enough, you can see the tiniest hints of green scattered here and there. Days are beginning to shift and I feel the restlessness of nature. A slight wind is at first cold and biting before it shifts to a warm, teasing breeze. Walking to the back of the house, I glance up and watch quietly as a small bird ducks under the deck, carrying twigs to make a nest. Spring, undoubtedly, is on the way.
The changing of the seasons. I’m not sure why, but it makes me stop and think more. It’s time for a pause, a look back and a look ahead. Spring is an exciting time, filled with new possibilities. To fully take advantage of its hope, we need to discard what we are carrying to free us to take on new opportunities.
Behind us, let’s leave:
- The ideas of yesterday that didn’t work.
- The insults and criticisms that others launched, still clawing at us.
- The clutter of our lives. Yes, spring cleaning allows us to remove the physical clutter. But don’t stop there. It’s the spring cleaning of our thoughts that will yield a great future.
- The missed goals of what we didn’t do. Holding onto them will only weigh us down.
- The negative people who don’t believe in us and don’t join our vision.
- The regrets of yesterday that we continue to allow to rule over today.
Ahead of us, let’s grab onto:
- The dream that we shoved into the drawer, but hold onto.
- The new idea that may prove to be the catalyst of our future.
- The untried, the experiment, the positive.
- The new friends who inspire us and push us out of our comfort zone.
- The wisdom of the past that whispers its undeniable truth.
- The happiness that trembles just beneath the surface, wanting to inspire.
Our Choice
Unlike the change of nature’s seasons, which happens despite us, we hold the power to choose the season of our mind. Obsolete ideas, bad habits, and negative thinking are fighting to take a permanent residence in our lives. Each of us is imbued with the power to welcome in new practices and new ideas.
Leadership requires the uncomfortable. It asks us to step up, take control, and choose what to let go of and what to grab onto. The choice is ours.
Something crashes loudly behind me and I look back. A squirrel is running up the trunk of a tree, scampering away from the falling branch. It’s a practical reminder of the lessons of spring: let go of what will drag you down and grab hold of a secure future.
