As I listen to the wind whip through the trees and a now known crack in my window, my childlike curiosity peaks.
‘Man, these wind gusts are intense!’
…Noticing how high wind makes me anxious…
The unpredictability of it.
The wildness of it.
So much potential to destroy if it wanted to.
And then I dive into observing. My eyes glued to the window, anticipation building.
I tap into the trees outside. Watching them.
How are the trees handling this unpredictable wind?
You see, the truth of the matter is, I’ve had some amazing life teachers, but none quite as amazing as trees.
It begins to occur to me that they (trees) are always preparing for these moments. Since they were saplings. They have been strengthening. Deepening their roots. Putting ALL of their resources into growing deep roots, a strong trunk and flexible branches SO THAT they can withstand the storms.
A smile comes across my face as I deepen even further into understanding this concept I so often work with my clients on.
You need to RE-BUILD your foundation ( roots) SO THAT when (not if) the storms come, you aren’t uprooted.
BAM. Check out THAT wisdom drop from Mama Earth.
Nature is an unbelievable teacher and has SO much to offer us.
For we are seeing so many “uprooting” in the workplace. Trees with shallow roots, branches that cannot bend, trunks that are too thin. These are the people who get blown around in the wind at work. These are the people who can’t get out of the negative spiral. These are the people who feel unrest in their job and even more unrest within because they aren’t able to communicate what they need.
More often than not, we are unconsciously trying are damnedest to control the storm at work.
… If my boss does this again, I will leave…
… They will never change because they always have done it this way...
… I am going to find a new job that has people who have (insert desired attribute here)…
The cold, hard truth is – YOU CANNOT CONTROL the storms at work.
You can try to come up with Plan A, B, C.. all the way to Z for scenarios, but the truth of the matter is – you cannot control the storm, what it may or may not bring, or how hard it will hit. This is simply the reality of life.
BUT what you can control – is the amount of care and nourishment you put into growing your roots deeper, teaching your branches to flow with the storm and strengthen your trunk.
What are the habits, the daily actions and the rituals that will help you grow your tree stronger? And is now the time to choose to place your energy on growing yourself rather than trying to control the storm?
Today, I will leave you with one of my favorite tools to help you deepen further into your practice:
· Adopt a tree. A tree that you can see every day or frequently. Be with the tree. Observe it. How does it change with the seasons? How does it adapt to the storms? Because I’m telling you, it’s one thing to read my words about my experience, but it’s life-changing to have your own.
Author: Taylor Short
Taylor Short is the CEO of Harmonious Return and author of Reset Your Relationship to Your Job. As a Job Reset Coach, she partners with companies and individuals to move from feeling exhausted and overwhelmed to energized and fulfilled, without leaving their job. Want to chat about how her work could help elevate your company? Schedule a Discovery Call here.
