Honoring the seasons
And holding the tension in the spaces in between
We have been having some weather here in San Diego this winter! How about you?
This morning, I had to do my six-mile run on the treadmill. I can’t even tell you the last time I ran that kind of distance on a treadmill. I am NOT a fan of running in place - literally or figuratively.
Treading water. Running in place. Sitting still. All of these are challenges for me. I much prefer moving forward. Progress. Momentum.
We rarely think about the weather here in San Diego. It’s so mild year-round that I can usually run out my front door on any given morning without concern for cold, rain or wind. The weather very rarely affects our daily activities.
But, this winter has been different - in more ways than one…
Welcome to The LIFT
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WINTER DISTRACTIONS
I often joke that I’m solar-powered. I’m just one of those people that loves a bright, sunny day. I’m energized by daylight, being outside, fresh air, sunshine + movement. I don’t do well with too many days being stuck inside with gray skies, cold + dark.
I am a summer gal through and through.
To get on the treadmill this morning + enjoy it, I had to do some serious Jedi mind tricks with myself. I played my favorite happy run playlist. I visualized my favorite outdoor landmarks. I watched the rain + wind outside the window. And, I reminded myself that this is temporary + above all of these dark clouds, the sun is shining.
When on a treadmill, you don’t have to give much thought to what’s around you or where you are going, you can just let your mind wander. It wasn’t long before my mind let go of the monotony of what I was doing + started to ponder + synthesize some of the things I’ve been learning this week.
BIRTHDAYS + BIRDS
We have a LOT of birthdays in our family in February + March. In fact, I’ll be at a family birthday party later today.
Earlier this week, I was driving up to visit my parents while listening to a post by a friend here on Substack. She was sharing some thoughts from her own birthday…
Alana shares:
Do You Know Why We….
Why we have this tradition that when we blow out the candles on our birthday cakes, we make sure not to tell anyone about the wish we made because if we do, then we risk it not coming true?
I love this question! (You have to read or listen to her post. You will forever see birthday candles in a new light. I’ll include a link in the resources below if you want to catch it later.)
Why do we do this? Where did this tradition start? Why do we somehow think that speaking our wishes out loud will reduce their chances of coming true?
Why do we guard our wishes so tightly?
When I arrived at my folks’ house, they showed me a live video cam of a bald eagle nest in Big Bear, California. Apparently, a lot of their friends have been following these two bald eagles as they care for their two eggs that are due to hatch any day now.
The live cam sits with a perfect view of the nest. It is SO fascinating to watch. The view from high in the tree. The snow falling. The things they do all day. The way they communicate with each other + with other birds. The way they take turns sitting on the eggs. Their whole life right now is about those two eggs.
Thank goodness the weather in Big Bear has had the cams down several times over the last few days or I’d be over there watching them right now instead of writing!
I know nothing about birds + I’ve only been watching them for a few days, but I am so enamored with the way they protect those eggs - despite the crazy weather. One eagle will lay there in the nest all night until it wakes up in the morning covered in snow. (I can’t keep track of which is the male or female.) Then they take turns sitting on the eggs during the day so they can stretch their wings, get some food + gather some sticks.
It makes you marvel at nature. Its wisdom. Rhythm. Timing. Magic.
It reminds me of the last few weeks of my own two pregnancies. The anticipation. The waiting. The stillness. The focus. The unknown. The tension. The excitement.
New life.
…which brings me back to birthdays + that question about wishes.
My oldest daughter was born on my half birthday - February 10. Hers was one of the many family birthdays we’ve been celebrating of late.
I probably wouldn’t think much about my half-birthday if it weren’t for the fact that Tyler was born that day. This year was a milestone for us both because it was her 30th.
I noticed that Iris Apfel recently celebrated her half-birthday. 101-1/2 !
I just love her. Don’t you? And, she is SPOT on when she says, “When you get up in years, even half birthdays deserve some cheers.”
At 54 1/2, it is safe to assume I am halfway through this life journey. We talk a lot at this stage about empty-nesting. My daughters are now 26 + 30. So the two ‘eggs’ that we nurtured + built our lives around have long since hatched + taken flight.
I’m also sitting at the cusp of menopause. The official end of my reproductive years.
I think that’s what was so profound this past week about watching those two eagles in their nest. There they sit - keeping the eggs protected. Guarding the hope of new life.
It’s hard to sit still + wait. It’s hard to hold the tension between one stage + another. Much like being on that treadmill this morning. Holding the tension between doing the work + finding the joy in it. Also, that sense of tension between starting + finishing. Laying + hatching. Life + death. Winter + Spring.
But, here we are.
SURRENDER + WISHES
As I watch these final weeks of winter unfold (I sure HOPE these are the final weeks!), as I hold the tension between these seasons of life, I have to say, I’m excited for what’s hatching next.
New projects. New purpose. New life.
I’m sharing my wishes out loud + celebrating along the way. Ready to nurture whatever emerges from these new eggs in my life. It’s pretty exciting + profound.
In my younger days, I might have cracked the egg open a bit too soon. With age, I’ve learned that you don’t hatch an egg. It hatches itself. Your job is to hold space + protect it.
Whatever eggs are hatching in your life, whatever tension you are holding right now at the end of the season, just know the sun is right there above the clouds.
Take a deep breath. We are almost there.
YOUR MISSION:
This week, I challenge you to notice that tension between what was, is, will be + always will be. Can you honor this season for what it is? Can you let go of what was? Can you welcome what will be? Can you accept what always will be? Can you hold the tension - the paradoxes? Can you be a bridge?
RESOURCES:
LISTEN: Do You Know Why We… | Alana M. Abernethy Evergreen
WATCH: What Happens As We Die? | Kathryn Mannix | TEDxNewcastle
READ: Many Personal Care Products Contain Harmful Chemicals, Here’s What to Do About It | New York Times
IN SUMMARY:
As you ponder these thoughts, I have a fun birthday to celebrate with you! I have been a brand advocate with Beautycounter for the past 7 years + this week, we are celebrating our 10-year anniversary as the leader of clean beauty. Some pretty incredible things are happening with our brand as we cross this milestone + enter a new decade of clean.
It’s been such an amazing journey helping people make the switch to safer products, leading advocacy efforts that have helped pass 11 new laws on both state + federal levels + raising the bar for beauty across the industry.
If you’ve been thinking about cleaning up your routine - whether skincare, makeup, body, sunscreen - now is the perfect time.
We have the most amazing promotion going on this week (March 4-10, 2023) to celebrate our birthday AND first-time customers can save 20% on their order with the promo code CLEANFORALL20.
Reach out to me for recommendations, color matching, favorites + how to place your order in a way that gives you the best deal.
Hit REPLY or shoot me a message + I’ll put a cart together with personalized recommendations for you to explore + learn more.
I LOVE this brand + all of the work we are doing to make our world a little safer. I would love to share it with you!
Meanwhile - make a wish, share a wish, be a wish!
See you next week?
Meanwhile - you can read thru the archives here. And, please reach out to me anytime!
Email: karen@becounter.com
Instagram: @redefiningkaren
Congrats on your seven years with Beauty Counter and on another amazing newsletter!
I need to come back and check out the live cam of the nest and learn more about b-day candies. It all sounds really cool!
Loved the mission! Loved the message!
Beautiful said. Timely. Thank You. A favorite sunny song of mine: "Sunshine on My Shoulder Makes Me Happy"