Now Is a Time to Just Keep Going

Photo by Biegun Wschodni on Unsplash

The first Equinox of the year is just a week away, and soon we will be in Spring’s effervescent, bubbly midst. Colors will delight our eyes, the air will warm around us, and we’ll be witness to the Earth’s fertility.

But we’re not there yet. And actually, even after the Equinox, it will still be weeks (or months depending on where you live) until Spring is in her full glory.

What’s different about this period of waiting is that we’re receiving signs that Spring will be here. We can point to green buds on branches, the daffodils, and longer periods of daylight and know that we’re on the right track.

Things are happening.

The more I pay attention to Nature, the more I see her cycles reflected in my journey through work. This “syncing up” is available to each of us, and all it takes is a desire to work with the rhythms of Nature instead of buying in to the sterile monotony of corporate life.

When I wrote the title for this post, I hesitated in being so definitive: “now IS a time…” v. what I felt like I should write, which was “now MIGHT BE a time…” But when I thought about who I’m writing this for, I thought of many of you who I know personally, and each of you is expressing a similar sentiment:

“I think I’m on the right path. I want to let it unfold.”

I’m right there with you, and so I write this post for us - the ones who have done the purifying death work of Winter, who are looking at difficult emotions in Pisces season, and who desperately want to cross the threshold of Spring in a good way.

We’re coming out of the darkness of Winter more aware, more tender, and more receptive to what wants to come to life through our careers this year. Even though we can’t see what lies ahead yet, we are exactly where we need to be.

We are always on the right path because we have no path to walk but our own.

Even if we feel like we’ve diverged or have totally lost our way, our right path is always beneath our feet. There is always information available to us, and even if we’re uncomfortable or suffering, we are never wholly, forever off course.

If you are on the precipice of Spring in your career, then you know that new growth is happening, but you can’t see its full expression yet. And that’s perfect, because you’re not supposed to.

If it helps you, I want you to know that I’m in the same boat, and I’m playing around with the tension between “why isn’t it here yet?!” and “this will be so awesome when it’s here.” I’m experimenting with the idea that this period of waiting and inching forward is exactly how things are meant to unfold right now.

For example, imagine if Spring just arrived. One day it was wet, cold, and dark, and then in the morning the next day, everything was in bloom and there were baby bunnies everywhere.

We would miss out on the anticipation of Spring. We wouldn’t get to walk down the street and be surprised by a purple crocus that’s popped out of the ground. We wouldn’t get to enjoy the slow ripening, the joy of calling in a new season.

Photo by Ashley Bean on Unsplash

I have inklings of what’s ahead for me, and I know it’s related to worker ownership, cooperatives, and supporting people who want to experience democracy in the workplace. But beyond that, I have no idea where I would do that work, how, or with whom. That could be a real bummer, but when I put it in the context of this period before Spring, I see that this is a sweet time of cultivating and enjoying these signs of new life.

When I feel myself starting to trip out about the how / what / when / etc., I have to make a choice to sit with that feeling and remember that everything is unfolding in its own time.

My job is to just keep going.

Very rarely do I advocate for this “head down and dig in” approach, mostly because it’s often used as a method of coercion in the workplace.

But as an overthinker, over-ruminator, and person who can be paralyzed by worry, sometimes that’s the medicine I need.

Sometimes I need to stop thinking, stop reflecting, and just keep moving forward.

If we’ve done the work, if we’re taking care of ourselves and staying grounded, then all that’s left to do in this liminal period is to tend to the fields. Make room in the garden. Build the nest.

We’re invited to stay busy building a container for what’s to come, and to enjoy the process along the way. Practically, that could mean clearing space in your home for fresh energy, making room on your calendar for a new experience, continuing to show up for therapy or acupuncture or whatever healing modality you use, or choosing only to network with people who feel supportive to you.

There’s nothing else you have to do, sweet friend. There’s no rush. There’s nothing you’re missing. Spring is upon us, and this is the work.

Trust yourself! You are reflected in the beauty and fertility of this season.