Autumn is settling into the mountains now. We are seeing the change of colour and feeling the cooler weather. It is the perfect time to reflect on our harvest and plant seeds for the next crop.

Living with the seasons supports our goals by reminding us that there is a time to harvest, reflect, let go of what we no longer need, and plan for the next project or crop.

The Harvest

To assist my planning for this coming year I invested in training to really dig deep into how I wanted to help my clients. I have so many ideas (seeds) for Eating for You, that if I planted them all, I wouldn’t achieve anything.

As a mindfulness practitioner I do not like to plan too far ahead, but value a clear direction, and clarity about how to use my time wisely.

I have a clear vision for Eating for You, and  to develop new programs, which I update at the end of each week.

I keep my weekly tasks on my white board so I can see them everyday.  This way I am constantly reminded of how my current crops are growing and which seeds I need to plant next.

Timing of these plantings is akin to living with the seasons.

Certain projects need a specific length of time and they need the right conditions to flourish.

Projects of mine that are bearing fruit this year include The Foundations Mindful Eating Course and the Mindful Eating and Living Membership program which is currently being developed.

Health priorities for me this year are to start my day with a mindfulness practice and attend an online yoga program five days a week.

Another health project that is taking a little longer than planned is having dedicated time with Chit Chat (horse) each week.

But as we will explore below, sometimes projects take a little longer than we anticipated.

Living with the seasons is not always predictable. This year we had an unusually hot summer, drought, and extensive bushfires.

My horse Chit Chat then sustained serious leg injuries at the time COVID-19 started to spread.

The timing, or seasons, for our projects similarly have unexpected events that speed up or slow down our progress.

Planting Our Seeds

Our seeds are like goals for our projects. But just as we need the right seeds to grow the right crop, we also need to look after our seeds once they are planted.

#1 Do you have the right seeds?

When we are planting seeds to grow tomatoes, we choose tomato seeds. This might seem really obvious.

But if our goal is to gain more energy from a healthier way of eating, then we might just think, ‘healthy food’ seeds are all we need.

When we want to cultivate more energy from the way we eat, we may also need to consider why we eat.

If we are driven to eat highly processed sugary and fatty foods because we are stressed, then planting ‘healthy foods’ seeds alone will not deliver us a crop of sustainable energy.

We may need to consider mindful eating seeds or ‘relaxation’ seeds or ‘more time’ seeds to harvest our crop of energy.

Creating space in our day for health and wellbeing, is a key topic in the Foundations Mindful Eating Course. You can learn more about the Course, here.

We need space to choose the right seed and care for it once it is planted.

#2 Do you have the right season?

Living with the seasons when planting crops becomes a natural way of life.

I know that our raspberries are dormant during winter, that the first buds will show mid-spring and we will start to harvest fruit in early summer.

Are your expectations for your harvest realistic and achievable?

You may have planted the right seeds, but your expectations of harvest are out of sync.

This was the case for my online programs. Preparing the courses required a long process of identifying the right technology.

The courses needed to be written, and the videos, handouts, and other resources created.

And as a scientist, I believe in testing what I do first, so I know my courses deliver benefits to my clients. This all adds time.

When we do something for the first time, we are learning, so unexpected delays naturally arise.

The Foundations Mindful Eating Course reprograms your thinking about setting eating for health goals.

It shows you the value of just doing ‘one thing’.

When we try to change too many things at once, we fail to change anything for a sustained period of time.

#3 Do you have the right resources?

Living with the seasons not only requires choosing the right seeds, but having the resources to support your crop.

Just as cauliflower seeds need the right nutrients, water and sunlight, and protection from moths, your seeds need to be supported by the right information, skills, and support from other people.

If you have a health and wellbeing goal, then you might benefit from support from your healthcare practitioners for example.

Successfully living with the seasons requires us to choose the right seeds for our crop and then support them so they can flourish.

It also means being prepared to stop and reflect when unexpected events slow down or speed up our progress.

The Foundations Mindful Eating Course helps you to identify the right seeds for your health and wellbeing harvest.

To learn more about the Course, click here. You can read the detailed information, or skip to the bottom to read the summary!