Seven Benefits of Living Seasonally
Seasonal living is something I’ve been advocating a lot recently. It’s something I’ve first hand experience of; seeing how re establishing that natural and innate connection with nature improves both our physical, mental, emotional + spiritual health + wellbeing.
What is Seasonal Living?
Seasonal living is the art of aligning with and embracing the cycles of nature, rather than resisting them. In our modern world, we tend to celebrate “doing” and activity, and resist stillness, introspection, and rest.
Seasonal living is returning to our natural state of being.
An intentional way of living that brings us into the present moment, fully living one day at a time in relationship with nature.
Seasonal living naturally supports treating our bodies better, listening to the energies of each season, eating the fresh produce grown in that season, and taking care of the planet in turn.
The Cycles of Nature
There are patterns and circles, cycles, everywhere in nature.
A pattern of reliability and structure matched with mother earths feminine ebb and flow. From the four seasons, the phases of the moon, the wheel of Horoscopes that repeat each year,, the movement of the sun and planets through our skies to our human cycles of life and death, and Womens menstrual cycle + hormones… and our energy!
These cycles dictate and influence so much of the natural world and environment we live in as well as our moods, health and wellbeing. Often without us noticing or realising.
Yet when we tune in to the seasonal cycles they can vastly and interminably improve how we feel day-to-day, how we support our health mind, body and spirit, and the quality of our health + wellbeing long-term too!
The Benefits of Living Seasonally
Here are some of the ways I’ve seen + personally experienced the ways seasonal living and being in tune with nature can benefit us:
1. A better use of energy
Following the seasons of growth, expansion, shedding, and resting/hibernation allows you to work and take action in an intentional way, working with the energy of each season; slowing down as the weather becomes colder and being more active and expansive through the warmer months.
And it’s not just the seasons! If you start working with the phases of the moon and the rhythms of your menstrual cycle you begin to see each 28 days
2. A Deeper Connection With Nature
The natural world is all around us. We are a part of the ecosystem of nature. But what if, instead of trying to impose our will and control nature, we worked and lived in connection and communication with the natural world around us?
A connection to nature allows us the space to reconnect with ourselves more deeply, and to live in a way our bodies were intended. Instead of living and acting the same all year living seasonally allows for the shifts and changes our bodies need for each season.
Shifting and changing our routines, habits + nutrition to offer the fullest support we can.
3. You get to slow down, notice the world around you + notice all those little things that you'd miss when constantly ‘hustling’.
Being ‘busy’ all the time of feeling like we should always be productive to prove our self worth actually deprived us of the most beautiful moments of life.
A connection to nature is something we need to nurture daily, so as you are taking the time to be present and connect with the world around you, to appreciate the things you see, you are also disconnecting from the stress of life, the anxiety and worries, and your to-do list.
Instead you are present, aware of your surroundings, AND aware of the people, the friends + loved ones around you.
4. You are forced to take some quiet time and tune in to your needs come winter.
When you are truly living with the seasons and making choices which reflect the themes we see in nature that means slowing down, doing less physical activity through winter, and focusing on going inward.
In nature much of the plants and animals are in homeostasis, hibernation and preservation mode. That means this is a time for us to take time for reflection, processing, doing the inner work.. AND, eventually to start making plans and dreaming of your year (and Spring) ahead.
Winter allows you to stay cosy, and figure out where you want to refocus or up level come Spring.
It is all part of the action and creativity process.
You CANNOT be truly your best without also including and giving yourself this time to reflex, process, analysis, dream and plan.
Constant action and productivity in not helpful or conducive to you producing your best work + ideas!
4. When you slow down you begin to feel more and notice those little changes within yourself
Your mood + emotions, your physical body, your mindset, and so much more… so you can start to be aware of what your body is trying to tell you!
The modern world is noisy. It drowns out the quiet whispers of our intuition and inner knowing.
It doesn’t give you the space to take a breath, pause and truly hear what your body, mind + spirit need and what they’re trying to communicate.
It’s easy to use material things + distractions to block out things we don’t want to hear or face.
Tuning in and knowing yourself is such an essential need and an essential part of being (and staying) healthy.
5. Better, more nourishing nutrition choices
When you live seasonally you start to eat seasonally too, choosing the foods that naturally grow in that season, and as a by product providing your body with the specific nutrients that it needs to keep healthy in 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 season.
Mother Nature is smart. Our world has been created to support our needs + give our bodies the foods we most need each season.
As a side effect of eating seasonally you are also being eco friendly, kinder to the planet, reducing your carbon footprint, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 helping out your local farmers — because when you eat foods that are out of season they’re flown in / shipped from other countries.
6. Better Work/Life balance!
If you go all in with being seasonal in all areas of your life it can make you more productive, improve your planning and focus, allow for reviewing and improving on past seasons, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 you can take time to practice intentional journaling + self-care.
Moving and working with the seasons and the phases of the moon you naturally begin to include each of these phases and stages that really are necessary for us as humans to grow, develop + support ourselves fully.
Stages and practices that we very often neglect!!
7. Living seasonally allows you to keep things interesting.
By changing and adapting with the seasons you not only learn flexibility, and to constantly keep adapting, but you can change your meals, exercise patterns, and self care with each season too..
We humans love our comfort zones and routine (for the most part) so it’s healthy for us to be able to adapt, stretch ourselves once in a while.
It helps us develop resilience and more easily grow, adapt and lean in 🤍
And with that, I give you my views on Seasonal Living and seasonal alchemy.
What’s your favourite thing about the seasons?
xo Emily
