Seasons of change

One of the exercises that can be used in life coaching is to look around what we have and to appreciate it. This can take many forms (appreciate each type of weather/why you love where you live/why you appreciate your body) and I do them myself regularly. 

This particular exercise makes me realise how much I love every season, how I am ready for each as and when it arrives and knowing that there are many things to look forward to all the way from January to December!

Seasons

Why I love each and every one.......

I love you Summer for

• your warmth and light
  
• your smell of sun and laughter
  
• BBQ’s every evening
  
• for bringing my baby girl
  
• the endless, mild evenings
  
• pimms with friends drunk with a smile
  
• splashing in the paddling pool
  
• children playing outside all day long
  
• windows open and fresh summer breeze
  
• smiles
  
• a feeling of release and freedom
• golden tans and rosy cheeks
  
• summer dresses
  
• sunglasses
• al fresco dining
• feelings of lightness and floating
  
• flip flops
  
• the smell of suncream
• painted toe nails
  
• salads and summer fruit
• music playing outside
  
• picnics
  
• bare feet 
  
• the sea and the sand
  

 

I love you Autumn for

• your colour and vibrancy
  
• your smell of bonfires and sparklers
  
• your sunsets of burning clouds
  
• the golden sunlight reflecting on the river at sunset
  
• crunching leaves
  
• opaque tights and knee high boots
  
• jumper dresses
  
• wellies and puddles
  
• early evenings snuggled under a blanket
  
• fireworks, pumpkins and Halloween
  
• warm soup and stews
• making me want to sing 'Autumn days when the grass is jeweled' all day
• roast dinners back on the menu
• new school terms, new stationery and new shoes
  

 

I love you Winter for

• your strength and solidity
  
• your smell of cold and clear air
  
• the hope of snow
  
• the excitement of Christmas, the stroke of midnight and a new year.
  
• hats and scarfs, wolly socks and gloves
  
• all things sparkling and all that glitters
  
• mulled wine and mince pies
  
• family and goodwill
  
• children believing
  
• using Father Christmas as a bribe all winter …’he’s watching you kids!’
  
• christmas carols and kissing under the mistletoe
  
• christmas specials and old films
• the striking pose of a tree stripped of his leaves
• really cosy time by the fire
  
• kids all wrapped up in their winter clothes
  
• teddies singing!
  
• visiting Santa’s grotto
  
• lights…so pretty everywhere they make everywhere look so much better
  
• decorations and christmas trees
• new year resolutions and the promise of positive changes
• peace and love all around! 
  

I love you Spring for

• putting a bounce in our step
  
• the gorgeous natural perfumes around every corner
  
• finding your way through the winter chill
  
• new beginnings and births
  
• for bringing my son
  
• blossoms and buds
  
• colours sweet enough to eat
  
• less clothes
  
• the desire to spring clean!
• chocolate eggs
• flowers and petals
  
• fresh cut grass
  

Grace

Before you were conceived, I wanted you 
Before you were born, I loved you 
Before you were here an hour, I would die for you 
This is the miracle of love. 
-Maureen Hawkins

My husband described me as being in a ‘state of grace’. Graceful maybe not but a state of grace maybe. I could not stop smiling. I loved every kick, every hiccup, every scan, each and every moment I had my babies wrapped up safely just for me. I loved watching my tummy grow and would pull my top up to show it off without a second thought. I wandered around the gym changing room waiting as long as possible before covering it up. I would spend ages massaging it, stroking it, chatting to it…I loved my bump and I loved my babies a long time before I could stroke the faces I had seen each night as I closed my eyes dreaming of the life I was growing inside.