The messy middle & transitioning to fall
Once Labor Day has come and gone,
it's easy to feel like we're officially in the autumn season. But, in truth, we still have a couple more weeks of summer to go, and the summer-to-fall middle ground can be a bit of an unsettling time.
My boys started school last week, and it was a doozy of a start. After a summer of freedom and spaciousness, reigning in their energy (and getting them out of bed before 10am) has been a challenge. The abrupt transition to a more rigid schedule has felt incredibly un-natural for all of us.
In Chinese medicine, late summer is considered its own season. It begins mid-August and runs through the autumn equinox. It is a transitional time between the hot, yang days of summer and the cooler, yin days of fall.
I liken this second summer to the tiny pause between the inhale and the exhale: It’s almost as if time stops for just a brief moment.
This fifth season offers us a short interlude to reflect and prepare for the coming season.
Unfortunately, our Western world doesn't acknowledge or honor this magical in-between season.
Our culture loves beginnings and endings, but glosses over what Brene Brown calls “the messy middle.”
Life consists of liminal moments where you pass from one season of life to another, and these moments often leave us feeling a bit wobbly and unbalanced. And yet, change cannot be avoided.
For me, some of the intensity of this back-to-school season is the knowing that this will be a year of lasts. My twins are starting their final year at the little community-based school that they have been immersed in since kindergarten, which means that this week was also my last first day, and change is coming.
We have to accept that the messy middle is a non-negotiable part of the process, and many of us are deep in it right now. AND it’s also a critical part of growth.
So if you, like me, are feeling all the feels right now, I want you to know you are not alone. This is normal. It is necessary for progress. As Brené says, “This is a part of the process. Stay the course. Stay the course. Stay the course.”
Late summer shows us the importance of grounding ourselves amidst change. It teaches us to align our behaviors and attitude with the fluctuating energy around us.
Let this be your reminder to pause. Soak in the last magical moment of summer before diving into fall.
If you are starting a new business, revamping your current business, or navigating shifts in your identity, I would love to support you on your journey through the liminal space.
Join me for for Ritual Mastermind or send a message to inquire about 1:1 small biz somatic coaching or bodywork.