Crying on Zoom was not on my BINGO card
Welp, didn’t expect to be crying on Zoom this week (it’s been a while since that has happened).
And not only that, I sold some homeschool materials on eBay and hyperfocused (obsessed?) on ridding our house of the pantry moths that keep fluttering through the air.
These things may not seem connected, but they are all connected to that ‘crispy’ feeling I shared about last week.
That sense that we’re on the edge of a new season, that we're carrying too much ‘tinder’ that could ignite with a stray spark.
So with noticing comes awareness and oriented action.
Clearing out the past year’s learning materials felt aligned because it helps me feel more ready for the coming year by making space and putting some cash in the account.
Checking the pantry every 20-30 minutes to smoosh or suck up the moths that creep out, and finding some expired, stale food to throw away.
And crying on Zoom with my accountability partner, naming and clearing out the worries, stories, fears and frustrations about feeling like I should have things figured out by now on the business side.
So instead of burning it all down, I oriented my actions toward what this season of life was showing me instead of telling myself the story that something was ‘wrong with me’.
Noticing the signals as information for orienting, not judging.
✦ A signal that we’ve been giving more than we’ve been receiving.
✦ Holding more than we’ve been releasing.
✦ Doing more than we’ve been replenishing.
That’s the magic of Human Orientation. It’s about noticing where we are without judgment so we can respond instead of react.
Because when we have our bearings and notice the terrain we are navigating, we can use that to take more than just the next ‘right’ step.
We can use the energy of the season to inspire oriented action.
What clearing do you need navigate this moment in the season?
Notice the signals the season is sending you and create your Field Report.
This Week’s Field Observation
If this season of life is still feeling more crispy than juicy, notice what happens when you stop trying to fix the feeling or push through it.
Instead, observe.
Before you ignore a pesky problem (that literally only multiplies over time), ask yourself-
What season does it feel like I am in?
What feels like it needs cleared out?
What am I ready to get rid of?
What do I feel motivated to tackle?
What emotions are ready to surface?
Notice what shifts when you replace judgment with curiosity.
Instead of trying to ignore a problem that’s taking up too much mental or emotional bandwidth, start with noticing how it is straining you.
Not trying to tackle ‘all the things’. Just the ones that are ripe for the season you are in.
When I did this, I was able to see the journey a bit more clearly because I had a better sense about the terrain I’m navigating. The same can be true for you when you try your own Human Orientation practice.
See what you notice when you are brave enough to notice and name what's making you feel ‘crispy’, and using that to find your bearings again.
Thanks for being in the field with me.
✦
Stephanie Rose is the founder of Firefly Scout and creator of the Human Orientation practice. Through observation, pattern recognition, and self-authorship, she helps people become more accurate interpreters of themselves and their lives so they can navigate change, growth, and "all the things" with greater clarity, capacity, and self-trust.
If you enjoy exploring a different way of seeing, join the Firefly Scout newsletter or download your free personalized Field Report to start noticing what your life may already be trying to show you.
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At the end of summer, when life and schedule changes are around the corner, it creates conditions for a unique type of burnout. Read to tips on how to handle things when life feels ‘crispy’.