I’ve been resisting fall.

 

Not because I don’t love the colors, the crisp air, or pumpkin everything everywhere—I enjoy all those things. But this year I just haven’t felt ready to make the transition into fall.

 

For me, summer is a time of fun, freedom, and possibility. And this summer was particularly great—I slept under the stars, celebrated good friends, and dined al fresco on beautiful summer evenings.

 

I’m not ready to let that go.

 

Fall is a more serious season: a time to buckle back down, to turn inward, and prepare for the holidays ahead—and I’m resisting it.

 

But after talking with a good friend last week, I realized that my resistance was about beginnings and endings, deaths and rebirths. And with each new beginning and subsequent transition, we run the risk of getting stuck.

 

And I was sticking.

 

There are two intertwining roots that contribute to getting stuck: the inability to let go (of endings), and the fear of the unknown (beginnings).

On the one hand, we are holding on so tightly to something, trying to prevent an inevitable end. This stops us in our tracks and makes us unable to move forward.

 

At the same time, as we transition into the new, we move from the known into the unknown–and that can be scary.

 

For much of my life, fall represented going back to school–a major transition. I was leaving behind the past year for a new grade level and a new adventure, and the butterflies in my stomach were inevitable.

 

This inability to let go and fear of moving forward doesn’t just occur when what we are leaving behind has been a good or happy time; I think we can fear leaving behind pain, sadness, and suffering. These feelings, too, become comfortable in their familiarity. We know how to function in these states and leaving them behind for a new beginning can seem daunting.

 

Fear is a natural part of change and transition. The goal is to not let it take hold and prevent us from moving forward.

Besides, resistance is futile. Fall will come whether we want it to or not; the difference is that the transition is much less painful if approached with open arms. We may even like what we find there.

 

So notice where you are resisting in your life. Maybe it’s the change of seasons, maybe it’s something larger. Ask yourself: are you resisting because you can’t let go? Or do you need to open to your fears of the future? Or maybe, like me, it’s a combination of both.

 

So here’s to a great summer had, and to some pumpkin deliciousness in my near future. Happy Fall!

 

xo Kate