There Is Beauty in Every Season

Life Coaching Tip: Some seasons of life can be difficult to appreciate because of the bitter cold, intense heat, harsh winds, or unpredictability they bring. But there is beauty in every season if we are willing to see and acknowledge it. Having gratitude is the key to finding the beauty. If we remember we always a choice of feeling gratitude, despite harsh seasons we face, we will experience the secret to living a life of joy and contentment.

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Winter is not my favorite time of year, and I’m fairly sure I am not alone in this opinion.

I don’t like it when the roads are icy and slick—making travel difficult and dangerous.

And I’m not crazy about the bitter cold temperatures, harsh winds, and snowy days that either cut my morning walks short or prevent them from happening at all.

I generally like quiet peacefulness, but the silent stillness of winter sometimes feels sad to me. I miss the hustle and bustle of the wildlife, and the sweet sound of birds chirping. And when the lake is frozen and desolate, I miss the sound of the waves hitting the shore.

But, I live in Northeast Ohio, so dwelling on all the pitfalls of winter is not a great plan. Gloomy weather can sometimes hang around for almost half the year, and it would be ridiculous to allow it to perpetually hijack my mood.

And so, I turn to gratitude, and I look for beauty in the season.

It’s not surprising that my pup, Ginger, and I were the only two park visitors one mid-February morning when the temperature was a frigid 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The magnificent landscape was stunning that day, and it felt like Mother Earth was treating us to a private showing. The sun made a rare appearance, the snow glistened, and the purple/blue colors of the sky really popped.

A deer crossed our path and blew Ginger’s mind; then it stopped and stared back at her, seemingly just as impressed by her presence.

I know when I get caught up in the presence of challenging weather, it’s difficult for me to see the beautiful parts of life. After all, I’m only human. But as we walked that morning, I spent time in gratitude and reflection, despite the fact that I had been dealing with some losses and subsequent grief.

Because I know there’s always something to be grateful for.

And there’s beauty in every season.

I just must be willing to see it.

Now, I don’t mean in the middle of the blizzard. Nope, that’s the time to get out of the biting wind, hunker down, have some hot cocoa, and get cozy.

But the winds always calm down, and the sun eventually peeks out, even if it’s just for a moment. It’s then that I must remind myself to intentionally look for the beauty.

You get that I’m not talking about weather anymore, right?

We all go through difficult periods in life, and there are seasons we would prefer to skip altogether. It’s part of the human experience.

But when your mind tells you that you have no choice but to close your eyes and just endure the season, I hope you’ll remember that you do have a choice.

You can choose to open your eyes and intentionally focus on the beauty—even if it takes you a moment to see it.

Gratitude will never let you down. It’s the calming breeze and bright sunshine that will always lead you to joy and contentment.

You deserve to feel the warmth of the sun on your heart all year round, my friend—not just in prime season!