Embracing The Season You’re In

You’ve probably heard the slogan, “Love the skin you’re in.” It’s a positive mantra that encourages you to love and embrace yourself as you are – there’s no need to try to change yourself or strive for some unattainable ideal.
When it comes to where you’re at in life, does the same sentiment apply? Interestingly, it seems more acceptable to strive to be in a different place – achieving more, getting further ahead, taking the next step, or working toward an easier phase. The problem with this mindset is that you’re never really appreciating what’s in front of you here and now, and that’s why it’s important to embrace the season you’re in. Get started with these tips:

1. Remember it’s only temporary.

If you’re in the midst of a trying season, embracing it might be the last thing on your mind. You’re just trying to survive it. While that is certainly understandable, reminding yourself that it’s only temporary can give you that sense of a light at the end of the tunnel – this isn’t forever! It’s easy to lose sight of this fact when you’ve been in the thick of it for a while, but in most cases time does its thing, and before you know it the clouds are lifting.

2. Savor the positives.

Reminding yourselves that this season is temporary can also make you realize that good things that come along with it are also fleeting – so soak them up and enjoy them while you can. Living in a constant cascade of diapers, crumbs, and toys? Imprint the belly laughs, spontaneous snuggles, and sweet little voices in your memory. Barely see your spouse as you shuttle around teens to various activities throughout the week? Feel the magic in those Sunday family dinners when everyone is together in one place. Seeing things through a positive lens is helpful in many situations, and this is no different.

3. Focus on what your marriage needs right now.

When you’re sick, expecting a child, recovering from an injury, or trying to lose weight, your body needs different things to feel and operate at its best. It even needs different things depending on the calendar season. Your marriage, just like your body, requires different things at different times. Figure out what it needs to thrive right now, and prioritize those things. Maybe in other phases you were able to get by with a monthly date night, but during this season you rely on that time each week to truly reconnect. Or maybe you’ve been struggling with communication, so you implement two check-ins a week for a period of time. Do whatever you need to do to stay connected in your current season.

4. Go with the flow (instead of against it).

If you’re in a busy season, you might have the urge to try to calm the chaos. If it’s a slower one, you might feel like you should be doing more. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to optimize the way things are working, constantly fighting against the natural rhythm of your life isn’t the best way to spend your time and energy. Set boundaries when you need to, but learn to flex in response to your current reality.

5. Stop waiting for “the right time.”

Do you ever feel like you’re always waiting for a magical time that exists somewhere in the future? A time when you’ll have more free time, more money, less stress, more motivation, to really start doing all the things you’ve been meaning to – whether it’s getting in shape, starting that home project, traveling. It’s like constantly living for a weekend that never seems to come, and that means you’re never living in the present. Alternatively, consider how you might adjust your plans to better fit your current phase of life – perhaps instead of traveling the world, you stick to domestic trips right now, or you choose to make your current home exactly the way you want it instead of waiting for your forever home. It’s good to plan and set goals for the future, but don’t forget to enjoy right now.

Embracing the season you’re in doesn’t mean you have to love every minute or every aspect of it. It’s about making the most of where you’re at right now by cherishing the positives and prioritizing the things that will you help you, your marriage, and your family thrive today.