Autumn is a chance to let go and release those patterns that are getting too heavy to hold.

I find a place in the garden that is sunny and lay out the yoga mat on the green grass. It is glorious outside on this autumn day, much warmer than in the house. I take off my jumper and begin a yoga practice, reaching and holding, twisting and bending, soaking up the sounds, the sweet smells and the delightful breeze. As the tightness releases from my body I think of autumn, it is the season of letting go. We need to be able to let go to make room for new possibilities.

Autumn is the perfect time for releasing old patterns, shifting unhelpful ways of thinking and knowing what is worth holding onto and nurturing. When we have the ability to let go, we can also be in a continual state of transformation, growing, exploring and reaching for our best self.

The farm is constantly moving, growing, reaching and then returning to the earth. In the autumn the weeds are removed and the paddocks are prepared for sowing. You can’t plant a good crop in a paddock that’s a mess. We can take on this same concept in our on life.  Where is the clutter in our environments? What stress are we hanging onto physically or mentally? What is not serving us well? Who do we need to spend more time with? What conversations are draining and unproductive?

As we release the old, the space appears and this space can be filled with hope.     

Hope isn’t stuck or stagnant, it is already moving onto a bright new day.    

Hope is what keeps us all enthusiastic and motivated in what we are doing. Hope helps the HSC student dream of a fulfilling career one day. Hope helps the farmer through the drought, the patient through illness, the athlete through training. When we loose hope, fear takes over and we stay locked in past mistakes and a poorly imagined future.

What’s done is done in the past. Mindfulness lands us in the present and then hope builds excitement about the future. We can’t stop things going wrong sometimes but we can put ourselves in the best position to cope with maturity, wisdom, optimism and good health. Once we are feeling healthier and more energetic its easier to be hopeful? Negativity thrives on neglect, poor nutrition, great excuses and procrastination. Let them go!

 So we have let go, arrived in the present, connected with hope and the next step is to ‘Find your powerful inner calm’.

 If stress is not just affecting you but others around you, someone needs to be calm. If you can be the steady one, the one who can find it in themselves not to vent, not to express the negativity, the one to smile in the face of fear, you will have achieved something truly inspiring. If you can find the space between the situation and your reaction, breathe and believe in better days to come you will be doing yourself and those around you a real favor.

 Connect with hope and your inner calm

 Every time we choose hope and find a way to see beyond the emotion, we get stronger. With this strength comes an ability to cope, for less to be able to rock our world and one day you will wonder if the stressful situations have minimized or if the change has happened within your self.

Let the weight of clutter go this autumn, the negativity or regret, its too heavy to bear. When we let go, we stop looking back and start looking forward. What seeds are you planting in your inner garden this year? Have you made room for the potential they can bring into your life?