Perpetual Bloom
Spring is in full swing, bringing with it the renewed sense of energy, sunshine, and blossoming flowers that make this season so enchanting. It feels like a beacon of light at the end of winter's tunnel, signaling a fresh start and a moment of ephemeral beauty—a time for planting seeds and nurturing ideas.
Recently, I was in a dance class when our teacher challenged us to improvise (freestyle dance) to an unfamiliar song, with the simple (HA🤪) prompt of expressing our aspirations for our futures through movement. Despite it being first thing on a Monday morning and the aforementioned “simple” request being met with moans and groans about it being to early for such a big question, it ended up being one of the most beautiful improvs we’ve ever done.
There are 3 words that keep surfacing for me lately: sway, structure, and unfolding. As I reviewed the video of our improvisation, I witnessed these concepts coming to life: the graceful sway of my body, its capacity to adapt and transition from one posture to another, even with the wobbles and adjustments, and without me always knowing where it was going next; the supportive structure provided by the music, the prompt, and the nurturing environment, and the freedom and joy of expression that structure cultivated; and the natural ebb and flow, the expansion and contraction, the ups and downs, and the natural unfolding of movement as I danced.
Without consciously realizing what I was doing, I danced out the exact themes I have been aspiring to embody in my life.
Lately, I've been in a period of introspection, reevaluation, and reorganization of my life—figuring out what I thought I wanted and what truly resonates with me, discerning my personal beliefs from inherited ones, and determining what serves my well-being and what doesn't (hello, Saturn return 😅). Throughout this phase of my life, I am coming to realize that a) change doesn't have to happen overnight (nor should it), and b) the more I try to force this evolution, the more stuck and frustrated I feel.
Unlike the perpetual cycle of blooming, growth, and harvest that modern society demands of us, UNFOLDING is the way of nature—a gradual, organic evolution of growth and change that happens without force. A type of growth that is inevitable.
However, just as a flower requires the right conditions to bloom in spring, we too require some structure to channel our energy—a nurturing environment, or a metaphorical riverbank—to allow our streams to flow freely and steadily, instead of it running dry. And then we need the ability to adapt and sway with life's natural currents, much like a flower sways with the breeze.
This month, I encourage you to reflect on these themes. In a society that glorifies perpetual productivity and “self improvement” what does it look like to slow down and let things unfold as they are meant to? What does it look like to trust that your growth and ease and happiness are as inevitable as spring’s arrival after winter? To get off the hamster wheel of constantly forcing yourself forward? What does it feel like to sway with the breeze instead of fighting against it? How might you construct a supportive container in which you may bloom in your own time?
Below, I've curated a selection of podcasts, books, and even music that have provided me with insights into these themes, and I hope they resonate with you too. I'm eager to hear your thoughts, so please don't hesitate to hit reply and share your reflections!
Until next month,
Ali
PODCASTS
When a dear friend and client shared this with me, and the word “unfold” popped up yet again, I had to give it a listen. It’s long, and you might want to break it into digestible chunks, but it is such an important message, speaking on shifting from a mindset of deficiency to wholeness.
The key idea from this is “structure should be supportive, not suffocating”. As someone with ADHD, just hearing the word “structure” feels suffocating, but just as “unfolding” is the way of nature, structure is a part of nature too. This podcast episode will help ease your mind about the rigidity of structure, and help you instead find the beauty and true nature of it.
MUSIC
What I am currently listening to… its got some of everything. Some are songs that remind me of the above themes, some are just fun, and some just feel like spring. Enjoy!
BOOKS
During a recent getaway to Apalachicola, Florida—a cherished destination for me and my family—I stumbled upon this gem in a local bookstore. Although I had already completed my purchases, something about this book caught my eye and urged me to take it home. Written in the 1950’s, it beautifully and poignantly relates life, structure, and finding balance amidst the noise of society, to the natural beauty and wisdom found in the sea. Despite its vintage, the wisdom contained within its pages has endured the test of time, resonating just as strongly—if not more so—in today's fast-paced world. It is an absolutely delightful and insightful read, and I cannot recommend enough!
