Lessons from Nature about letting go

As my life journey has progressed, I am expanding my awareness of the beautiful cues that are expressed in nature.  There are many analogies for "shedding"--trees lose leaves and needles, snails and crustaceans outgrow their shells, deer and elk shed antlers, snakes their skins...the list goes on. Most present for me is the reminder that comes from my beloved Border Collie, Maisy whose sweet image I can't help but post just because I love her so.  Her breed is known for pretty much CONSTANT shedding (if the corners of my kitchen and their little fur balls could testify) and then, of course, significant shedding as the weather warms. I brush her regularly to assist with this process and to keep less of it on my floors. I imagine how good it must feel to her to have her undercoat gently thinned, allowing stimulation of her skin and some room for "breathing" under her shiny topcoat. In my mind I visualize how it opens up space for her.

When I consider how beautifully and perfectly this creature is made, I can't help but take some wisdom from that into my own life and ask myself, "What do I regularly need to be thinning and combing through so that the freest version of me can emerge?" What comes to mind are habits and patterns that no longer serve me: perfectionism, negative self-talk, taking on too much (and then feeling resentful afterwards-ugh!), forcing myself to do things I don't really want to do because of some outdated "should" that I have hung on to, caring too much about what others think of me, self-doubt, and worry and rumination...

So, I encourage you: embrace a metaphor offered from nature that speaks to you and see if you can use it as a gentle reminder to start to let some things go. We all deserve to feel a bit lighter.  You’ve got this. XO Paula

🌱Supporting courageous action that leads to positive change.🌳