Leaning Into The Seasons

Summer 2025 is coming to an end. I am overjoyed by the beauty of this blooming season. I have been present. I have laughed, danced, eaten, and been witness to the abundance of graces poured out. I have also sipped wine and lovely cocktails while eating just about anything I wanted, surrounded by my closest friends and family. And now, the season has come to an end.

I have a choice. Will I let the bounty of summer turn into something ugly, telling myself that now I must change? Will I tell myself that I should not have splurged so much? Will I let my inner critic lecture me for not keeping up my gym workouts and eating only salads, while everyone else around me celebrated? Perhaps I should even punish myself for the indulgences. After all, as a menopausal woman, by social media standards, I should immediately go on a strict calorie-counting diet, start walking 10k steps daily while wearing a weighted vest, lifting heavy weights at the gym, and cut out all alcohol. 

Shoot me dead.

We have learned many things in our influencer-driven social media culture. We’ve learned to only share what we think others will like, what makes us look good and put together, and what we must do to stay young. (Staying young is bullshit, by the way. I like my 52-year-old self way better than my 22 or 32-year-old self.) If we vary the strict plan we have crafted, then we are not working hard enough. We’re failing! We need more accountability. Maybe we should all do a reset and go on a strict elimination diet. Isn’t that what you’ve heard?

This reset mindset is a fallacy that we are gulping faster than a frat boy doing a keg stand. We don’t need another reset! We need to awaken to the ebb and flow of life, recognizing the seasons of feast and famine! And I don’t just mean food. I mean all of it. I’m not against making a plan, but it is unrealistic to expect every day to be the same. That is why people make plans, stick to them for a day or two, and then the plan falls apart. Is it because they weren’t disciplined enough? Maybe. Or maybe it’s because life has a natural ebb and flow to it, and our culture, stripped of connection to the land, has forgotten.

Stick with me. In an agrarian setting, the farmer observes the seasons. Planting in spring, nurturing growth through the summer, harvesting in the autumn, and letting the land go fallow for the winter. Each season has a purpose and work to be accomplished, yet even in each season, there are rainy days that keep the activity of that season from happening on schedule, interruptions, if you will. The farmer doesn’t lose his purpose for that season because of the rain, but his activities for the rainy days will certainly be different.

I have a beloved friend who lives in the Northeast. I watch as every summer she takes the kids to the lake for swimming, hikes mountains, and hosts friends around bonfires, trying to spend every moment possible outside. As Fall approaches, if she has raised any animals for food, she has them butchered. She brings in firewood in preparation for winter. As the snow drifts in, she snuggles the kids under blankets with candles lit and warm drinks in hand, to read them stories. Then spring arrives, and it’s time to shed the layers of winter and embrace the blossoming. Once again, finding ways to move and get outside. It’s a beautiful life, one that feels distant from me here in Los Angeles, where seasons are endless sunshine day in and day out.

I suggest that to be well, we need to keep some things in mind, even make a plan, but also embrace the ebb and flow. Foundationally, we must intentionally move our bodies, prioritize sleep, eat nourishing foods, and foster deep, abiding relationships. Yes! Do you see the flexibility?

Look…

I have a client who decided that this summer was the season to prioritize herself. Work was slow, so she had a couple of months to really focus. I created nourishing meal plans for her. She tried new foods, she increased her vegetables, and she cooked every day. She was already walking daily, had great sleep hygiene, and supportive friends and family around her. Then she went back to school. (The season changed.) Two weeks into school, she was feeling super stressed and told me she was failing. I asked her what failing meant to her. She told me that she wasn’t able to cook as much. So, I asked her what she was eating, and this is what she told me…

Breakfast: grilled peppers & sweet potatoes, radishes with avocado and gluten-free English muffin, or oatmeal with cranberries and raisins

Lunch: gluten-free sandwich with roasted vegetables or a turkey lettuce wrap with hummus and celery

Occasional almond milk latte, half-sweet

Dinner: tofu tacos with cabbage & black beans, gluten-free pasta with pesto & vegetables, the remainder of the week, she prepares chicken, pork, or fish with vegetables

Ok… I don’t see the problem. My client looked me in the eye and said, I’m not cooking enough. 

What?!?!

I gently reminded her of all the nourishing foods she is eating and that the season of cooking every day had ended. This new season, admittedly a much busier one, required that she eat more on-the-go foods that require less prep. And, since she put in all the work this summer, her energy is up and her digestive symptoms have reduced significantly, giving her space to thrive in this new season! She did not need to reset or get better. She was naturally adapting the plan to fit the new season and was not giving herself enough credit for the shift. In fact, she was shaming her good work for not being enough.

The season has changed for me, too. I am at home after the beautiful busyness of this summer. I’m gently easing myself back into regular movement by walking the dog every day, doing yoga, and stretching. I’m nourishing myself with increased vegetables, healthy fats, and protein. I’m not drinking as much alcohol. I am not counting calories, my macros, or the grams of protein! I’m simply breathing life in, sleeping well, and chatting with my besties.

If the season has changed for you, too, maybe you can offer yourself a little grace and, for the love of God, don’t order the weighted vest!!