Thoughts and reflections on navigating change

As I write this, we are in what is known as the second week of the Start of Summer (according to the 24 Solar Terms – an agricultural calendar used in the East). I love to look to nature for clues on how to live in alignment. Transitions of the seasons are the perfect time to reflect on the concept of changing to grow. Nature is literally growing all around us, changing every day. Energy is building. The trees become fuller as more leaves unfold. Flowering trees are losing their flowers and preparing for the growth of fruit and berries. All the rain we got earlier this Spring has changed the ground into a thick emerald blanket. I can’t seem to keep up on the mowing!

Another common change that happens this time of year is graduation. A few weeks ago, I attended my daughter’s graduation ceremony from massage therapy school. One of her classmates, whose name is Sherri, gave an empowering speech. Her words spoke to me so much that I asked her if I could get a copy. Sherri generously gave me the copy she had in her hand. I want to share her words with you…

“…what we’re doing is showing up. Fully. And that takes grit. Real grit. The kind that asks you to be accountable. To be open to feedback. To stay coachable. Because the truth is, no one becomes great by doing everything their own way without ever adjusting.

Growth doesn’t happen in comfort. It happens in those moments where you think, “I don’t know if I can do this”…and then you do it anyway.

And here [you] are. At the end of something that probably felt overwhelming at times, but looking back, maybe it wasn’t as impossible as it once seemed.

Sometimes the things we fear the most, like change, like endings, turn out to be the very things that prepare us for what’s next.

So, whether you walk away from here with a clear path or still a little uncertain, just know this:

You built resilience. You built skill. You built grit. And that’s something no one can take from you.”

Powerful, right?! I thought so. Sherri is right. Growth is uncomfortable and is necessary. I like to say that we build our resilience muscles when we’re faced with challenges. I also like how she talks about showing up fully. To me, this is about being present and being a participant in my own life. Being accountable for my actions and decisions, whether they were “right” or “wrong”.

Being fully present is living mindfully. It’s being aware of my thoughts and how they shape my actions. Being aware of my emotions and how they block or move my energy (my qi). From that place of awareness, I get to decide what comes next. Do I adapt and grow, or do I stay stuck, frozen, or go with what seems easy but not aligned? Do I choose to live in alignment with what is right for me?

A striped chair sits by a campfire at dusk.

Bringing things back to the season of Summer…

The Element of Summer is fire. When we are living mindfully and in alignment, our fire burns warm and consistent…enough to sustain us. Not enough fire causes us to be stagnant and not take action. Too much fire leaves us burnt out. We need that beautiful consistent fire energy to help us move through change. If you were to look at your life right now, what’s the state of your fire? Is it too hot or are you having a hard time getting it started?

It’s not just enough to know the state of your internal fire. To be able to move through change and challenges, it’s important to know how you personally move through these. You may already know this about yourself, or you may only see your struggle or how change affects you negatively. This is when you know you’re living out of alignment.

Did you know that you have a unique natural design to how you live your life, whether it is in alignment or not? You do. When we’re living our natural design, the process of growth is exciting, it’s still work and can be scary, but we move with change instead of fight against it. We have that internal fire to help sustain our energy when times get tough.

Are you going through change or transition and curious to learn how you best handle change?

A tool I use called the Success Codex can help you realize, remember or discover how you’re meant to move through change. You can download your free Success Codex chart here. You will look specifically at the “Balance Path” which contains your Center (your place of solace), Flow (how you move with change), Structure (your inner resource to help you keep going), and Purpose (your soul’s growth through change).

Download your chart and take a look to see if it resonates with you. It will show you when you’re in alignment and when you’re out of alignment. It will show you where your strength lies when it comes to change.

If you would like some guidance to help navigate any change you are going through, I would be honored to be your guide.

In peace & love,

Julie

PS – in case you didn’t see it, I’m running a Birthday Special until the end of May.

$50 off one Success Code Path Reading

$100 Inner Alignment Journey (4 sessions where we integrate your design into your life).

Early Bird Special for the Rooted Alignment Retreat on June 13th

Julie Saalsaa, NC

www.juliesaalsaa.com