Christy Wright runs “The Business Boutique.” She did a podcast on identity and one piece to her chat has been on my heart. “You are not your season.” She used it in the context of 2020 and how hard that season was. The data is coming out that a lot of the pressure families faced in 2020 had to do with children- activities, childcare, lack of support. In 2021, challenges for me personally were super heavy. Whether you are male or female, I wanted to share some of my aha’s around this idea- the concept of your identity and how it relates to the season you are in.
How can we separate ourselves from the situation we are in? How can we separate ourselves from our surroundings to honor ourselves for who we are. A season or a situational shift in your life does not mean you have to change, too. Identify who you are now and who you want to be and note what will remain the same within all the seasons.
[7:00] “Set Point Theory.” It is the idea that your happiness is a thermostat setting. Great things might happen that will increase your happiness level. Hard things will happen and lower happiness level. Eventually you will settle back into your natural level of happiness used to think when I had everything exactly how I wanted it, I could be happy. I assumed the situation was what brought me happiness. That is not the case. “Where you go, there you are.” It is ME that determines happiness, not my situation. However, you must pursue a life you love. You must do the work. How can you get clear on who you are to make sure that you are honoring that along the journey? How do you stay true to you?
[10:27] Honor you during challenging times! I also think it is important to note, it is OK not to be OK for a season. Some seasons are hard and sometimes you need to give it the space it deserves. When you are working through a difficult time, you are honoring that season. It does not mean your identity changes. Like the Bear Hunt, “You can’t go under it you can’t go over it you’ve got to go through it!” This hard season does not change who you are. It does not define you. You can rebuild and you can honor yourself. As difficult as it is, there is value in it.
[16:10] Do the work! By breaking down a larger goal into smaller pieces and beginning to take action is how you pursue you! Jen Hatmaker said, “find every way that doesn’t work.” Trial and error. I share an example following my son’s birth. John Maxwell discusses “The Power of Mo” and highlights the importance of baby steps and starting simple. I encourage you to find something simple and use the power of momentum to guide you.
Remember that you are not your season. You are so much bigger than your season. You are so much more powerful than your season. You get to define you. You get to honor you by learning what you need in your life in the simplest ways. These small simple shifts can honor you. It can allow you to have the power to reconnect with the person that you are no matter your season. You are getting my permission to reframe hard seasons in your mind, heart and soul.
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