I lived in South America for a time, where I learned about a spiritual concept that many indigenous people hold, about August being the time of year when “the circle is broken.” It is a time of uncertainly, and of change and openness as well. It is not a comfortable time; there is fear and anxiety inherent in this time of brokenness.

I have been wrestling with a hard decision: to say yes or no to starting a new media venture with two terrific business-women friends. 

One morning last week as I was walking into my office, I noticed trash on the front lawn. 

This is not that unusual, since the office is at the corner of a busy street.  I went to collect the trash and saw what seemed to be the contents of a glove compartment “emergency kit” — a bag of mixed nuts, hand warmers, wet wipes, a pack of gum, a roll of breath mints, and a packet of fruit gummy snacks — all strewn about near an opened ziplock bag.  Nestled among these items was a clean, crisp 3x5 card with these words written in bold marker on one side: You are of Great Worth!  I was astonished. This item was definitely not trash.

Here’s my suggestion: give yourself a break! 

The change of seasons can sometimes catch us unawares, feeling a little more tired, not quite able to snap into the time change. I’ve read that it can take a whole week for our bodies to adjust. So what if, instead of forcing ourselves onward, we tried being really kind to ourselves? 

Are you starting to notice that the light is shifting? More light in the day can really elevate our moods. So often over this winter, with storms raging and darkness falling early, I found myself saying, “We’re in the bleak midwinter.” But I saw my first snowdrops last week!

I was just talking to a client this morning about this. She was describing how she feels frantic, a lot, and every time she meditates she feels calmer.

Do you have difficult or conflicting thoughts with Valentine’s approaching? We might have thoughts about being lonely, not having a partner, or having a difficult time with our significant other.