A Springtime State of Mind
“The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”
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Hello, welcome back to the Elegant Balance podcast.
I am so excited you're here joining me again this week! Just in case you ever thought that podcasting was glamorous or required a lot of fancy equipment, I'll let you know that I am currently sitting in my car waiting to hop into the carpool line as soon as I finish recording this, so nothing fancy. Nothing glamorous about it, but I am just excited to be here and get the chance to chat with you.
Lately, I have been really enjoying the shift from winter to spring.
I'm here in Texas and so the weather has finally warmed up. Yes, it does get cold here in Texas, colder than I ever thought it would, but it's starting to warm up. We've had a lot of 70 to 75 degree days.
The skies have been blue, and the sun has been shining.
The birds have been singing, the flowers are blooming, and I am overwhelmed and awestruck by the beauty of it all. I've been reflecting on spring and what we can really learn from this season and so that's what I want to chat about with you all today.
I titled this episode, “A Springtime State of Mind” and you may be wondering, what in the world is a springtime state of mind?
I'm so glad you asked!
It is simply a mindset primed to embrace the beauty and the joy that the season has to offer and all the possibilities that come with it.
And I want to share four different ways that I think that you can do this. I believe that each of these ways will help you create the work-life balance that you are dreaming of.
So, let's get started!
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Just Enjoy the Journey
It's slow but so worth the wait.
If you think about it, spring doesn't just happen one day. Instead, the weather gets warmer day by day, sometimes taking one step forward and then two steps back. Also, the flowers don't just open their luxurious blooms in an instant. It's a slow process that requires water and sunshine and tending. In a similar way, we don't wake up one day with a perfectly balanced life. Instead, we have to plant the seeds we have to cultivate it, and then we get to watch it bloom. And just like spring, we need to realize that we may take one step forward and two steps back, and that's OK. It's normal.
Creating your ideal work life balance is not a big one-time overhaul. Instead, it's several small, maybe even seemingly insignificant steps, which add up over time to create a life that you love. Don't try and rush it. Don't try to overhaul everything at once. If you do, you'll be less likely for those changes to stick and more likely to experience burnout.
Bloom Where You are Planted
Think about all the spring flowers. They were planted as seedlings, and they grow up in the exact spot that they were planted. As they grow, they aren't looking around comparing themselves to the other flowers, wishing that they would have been planted over there, or comparing themselves to their or their situation to another flower. Instead, what they do is just simply do their best to bloom right where they are planted.
We can learn a lot from them.
How many times have you wished that you were somewhere else in a different job or a different location or maybe even just a different season of life? Of course, there are times and situations that call for changing things up. And I'm not arguing that there's not, but sometimes we can't easily change jobs or locations. And really, the only way to change life seasons is to simply just wait it out.
What if instead of spending so much time and energy lamenting your current situation, you decided to make the best of it to bloom right where you were planted? How much more joy would you find? How much more life could you live if you made that simple decision?
Take Time to Notice All the Possibilities Around You
Spring is a time of new life. Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and it feels as though the entire world is awakening from its long winter slumber everywhere. Everything is primed with possibility.
What would happen if you started seeing your life the same way? Looking around you and seeing everything as though it's full of possibility. That job you just started could be the beginning of a brilliant career. Or maybe the side hustle that you've been working on has the potential to allow you to leave your nine to five. Or think about your kids. They are brimming with possibility and potential and you get the amazing crazy fun opportunity to be a part of their journey. Maybe you just met a new friend which presents the possibility of a lifelong friendship. Convince yourself that life is working in your favor. See all the possibilities around you. Life becomes so much more fun when you do!
There is Beauty Everywhere You Look
These last few weeks I have just been awestruck at the beauty of the world that God created. He didn't have to, but he created a world with birds that sing and peonies that have a ridiculous number of petals on each bloom.
I actually just had one of the best weekends last week and not because we did anything special but because I intentionally unplugged and slowed down enough to enjoy the beauty around me. I actually had a lunch date with my husband, followed by a lazy afternoon of reading on our back patio; the air was warm, and the breeze was cool, and the sky was as blue as a blue sky can be.
The next day we went to a birthday party at a local park in the morning and then we visited a local vineyard that evening. It was a weekend filled with beautiful weather, music, dancing, and laughter. It was a weekend that embodied the beauty of spring.
Having a springtime state of mind involves slowing down to smell the roses or tulips or whatever blooms in the springtime where you live. Don't get so busy that you miss out on the beauty all around you.
I hope that this episode has given you some food for thought and will help you to embrace life this spring season. Have a beautiful, joy-filled week friends!
Is a better work-life balance one of your goals this year?
I’ve created a workbook just for you!
If you’re interested in creating a work-life balance characterized by simplicity, joy, and beauty, why don’t you start by checking out my Elegant Balance Workbook? In it, I help you define what work-life balance looks like for you and share some tips on creating that balance. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it – Balance doesn’t happen by accident.
What are you waiting for?
Let’s pursue our Elegant Balance together!
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We spend a great deal of time at work. Like Annie Dillard once said, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” I encourage you to look around your office and see what steps you can take to add simple luxuries to your workday because in the grand scheme of things, they will add up and lead to a luxurious life!