Which Season defines your current life?

Season of Self

It’s all about ego. We might also call it the Season of Collecting, as our energies are focused on collecting things and making our mark on life via our career, the home we live in, the car we drive, the money we make, etc, etc… Energies are typically focused on comparing – keeping up with the Jones’ – and competing with others. We can become fixated on proving ourselves to others and pleasing others. A life in the Season of Self looks outward for its meaning. This is typically the most unfulfilling season, as we often find that into self is a very lonely place. The real irony is that the more we seek fulfillment from outside stimuli the emptier we become. In this season we tend to focus on the relentless pursuit of success and are often blinded to reality – that which is really going on around us. We can get so into self that we are unaware, or don’t care about others’ perceptions. This season can also be one of control – in our pursuit of what we feel is in our best interest, we want things that make us feel good. We can tend to spend money we don’t have, to buy things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t know. This behavior can be a mask of our low self-esteem, as we seek things that make us feel better. We tend to talk much and listen little. We can get into the trap that our self worth is our net worth. This season can also be recognized by numerous job changes.

Season of Drought

This is the season where we come to the conclusion that what we thought would bring us peace and contentment really results in the opposite. This is when we realize that into self is a very lonely place and all the “things” that we bought or achieved don’t fill the void. This season can be cluttered with failed relationships such as divorce, as we tend to treat perfect strangers better than those who love us the most. Even though they love us (mates, children), hearts can only be broken for so long – “I love you but I can’t take it any longer.” This season can also occur when we lose that which we thought was most important – jobs, homes, cars, money – and we can become seriously depressed. The more we lose these things, the more desperate we become to regain more things, as we still believe that they will bring us fulfillment. The result can be an endless cycle of chaos.

Season of New Growth

This is the season where we realize that we don’t have all the answers and muster the courage to seek the truth from those who have the courage to tell us what we need to hear, not necessarily what we want to hear. It’s when we come to the conclusion that our way isn’t working. Too often we arrive at this season when the pain of remaining the same – our way – is greater than the pain of change. We must have the courage to admit that we don’t have the answers. We humbly ask for guidance from others who, as we finally understand, are much wiser than us. We admit that we’re wrong (it’s hard, but liberating), and ask for forgiveness. We understand that truth is the lifeblood of growth. We seek, accept, and act on the truth by changing one bad behavior at a time. This is when we have the epiphany that true fulfillment comes from within.

Season of Significance

We will slowly arrive at the Season of Significance once we consistently act on truth by applying the simple acts of daily discipline required to change our bad behaviors. We are hungry for the truth and consistently seek wisdom from those who have the courage to tell us what we need to hear. This is when we realize the positive feelings that occur from serving others. When we’re feeling down, we muster the courage to get out of our pity party and go serve others. We gain control of negative emotions – fear, anger, envy, greed, jealousy, worry, and guilt – by actively serving others. In this season we are always seeking the truth and holding ourselves accountable to living it. We discover our core purpose (What am I here for?); our core values (What do I stand for?); and our core disciplines (How do I live my core values?). We understand that to live in the Season of Significance we must continually grow and give back. That’s how we live a life of peace, prosperity, and significance.

What season are you in? Following are three action steps that will help you grow to the richly rewarding Season of Significance:
1. Get passionately engaged in a cause greater than self.
2. Commit to the simple act(s) of daily discipline required to change the one bad habit (you know what it is!) that’s holding you back.
3. Don’t quit before the blessing!