Life Lessons We Can Learn From Nature

The weather has been cold and gloomy here lately, and my mind and body has been feeling, well... the same. As much as I want summer to be here, looks like Mother Nature has other ideas: making me pay a bit more attention to the weather, my surroundings - the present moment...

Nature has a way to get our attention, whether it's through a raging storm or a beautiful sunshine. It also has the means to overcome misfortunes and thrive. Maybe we could learn some great lessons, if we just pay a closer attention? After all, we - humans - are part of the Nature's system.

Here are a few of those lessons that I believe are beneficial for us to learn from Nature:

It's just a season. Nature brings us spring and summer, autumn and winter. It follows a set order- you won't have summer without spring, and spring without fall and winter. It just wouldn't work. Seasons bring us seasonal sun and rain, snow and wind. Things that are needed for the natural world to survive, live, and thrive. It's the same for our lives! We go through life seasons that are set for us, we just don't recognize them, until they pass. We start as babies, growing through childhood, then adolescence, then turning into mature adults. But the season doesn't just end there. With each life transition, career change, loss or reward, we keep learning, changing and growing. It's through the seasons and cycles of joy and disappointment, loss and achievement that we become the human beings we never imagined we could be! So next time life gives you a lemon- don't just make a lemonade, share it with others and celebrate the upcoming season!

Life is not static. As with seasons, life doesn't just stay in one state. It moves, it grows, it changes. It's like the ocean waves- they come and go, never stale. Sometimes they are big and stormy waves, other times- they are calm. But they are always there. Waves are life! Without sound waves, we couldn't hear. Without color waves- we couldn't see. Without the ocean or the wind we wouldn't have life as we know it. Same is with our own lives. As much as we might not like it, we need the waves that life throws at us. We need the mountains and the valleys to live our lives to the fullest. Face and conquer the storm - or the crest of the wave - that gets in your way. And remember, that the calm - the through of the wave - will always follow.

It takes time. When you plant a seed, you don't expect it to bloom the next morning. You need to take care of it, water it, protect it from wind, and... wait. Wait until it goes through it's cycles, and reaches it's prime. Only then we can enjoy it's full glory. We, humans, (as well as businesses) want fast results. We look for instant gratification and want it now (hello, internet!..) Nature and life don't work this way. And we need to get a little bit closer to the way nature works - everything takes time. You won't be able to grow your career without first finding what interests and fulfills you, in the same way you won't be able to rush a tree to grow faster without first planting the seed.
So, take your time. As long as you put in the effort, change direction when it's needed, make those difficult decision that come your way- the results will arrive. It might not be at the exact moment you would like it to be (maybe it's just not the season) but it will work out.

It takes action. Have you ever watched those animal shows with lions hunting for food? It's hard work (and a little cruel!) But that's nature. Animals have to work for their survival. They need to find food and water for themselves and their younglings. They don't just sit there waiting for the bird to fall out of the sky in front of them. But somehow, we humans, have it backwards. We expect things without a struggle. Or we are too quick to give up when things get too hard. Or we hope things will change without doing much about them. Or we try to figure things out in our heads without taking action to actually try them out.  Or like Albert Einstein says, we "do the same things over and over again, expecting different results". You need action to change your life or your situation, even if it's the tiny one or, especially so, if it's unexpected one. Action will give you confidence and clarity to move forward, and it will open new opportunities that our human minds are too "blind" to see.


As I finish writing, the sun is trying to peak it's rays through the dark clouds, with a beautiful rainbow forming across the sky... This Is Life!

I know it's not easy, but next time you hit a roadblock in your life, see if you can learn from our Mother Nature. I am sure you will find solutions you didn't see before.

Be patient! Be curious! Be courageous and strong! Live your life on a crest of the wave!

Are you facing a life and/or career transition? Please reach out to set up an introductory session to see if coaching can help you get the results you are looking for. I would love to help you create a "blueprint" to a better life!