I really enjoyed this conversation: after living in a very 4-season environment for most of my life, I'm currently in Indonesia for an extended time, where it's hot & sunny every day with very little change since July. It's quite a mental shift as my body/mind wants it to be autumn (I'm northern hemisphere raised), but the reality around me is very much not. It's forcing me to refocus on life seasons and mini shifts that can help me be present the way I want to be this time of life/cycle/year, regardless of weather, but I'll admit that's much easier said than done!
This is so good to know! I think it's what we were trying to get at with the whole LA thing 😆. I think I'd find it really discombobulating to have no real distinctions between seasons, because there's something in-built that craves the changes. It's so interesting to hear you're feeling the same and I love that you're finding different ways to tap into the seasonality of life. I wonder if people who've lived in the tropics for their whole lives get that too? Or something similar for the hot/wet seasons? Such a cool thing to think about. Thanks for listening Holly! 💚
I feel like living in Far North Queensland, our summer is more related to European winter than I realised. It is monsoon season, and so often we need to stay indoors, or at least plan for bad weather, we need extra layers (umbrellas/raincoats) or if it is sunny, it is far too hot to do anything outside but relax or be in the water. And then the temperature in our winter is much more pleasant, and it’s the dry season, and I spend a lot more time out and about enjoying the outdoors
Hi, reporting from LA, or more specifically Burbank-home to MANY TV & Movie studios. There ARE noticeable seasons, and it even snowed (flurried) here last winter (climate change to blame). We get frost warnings in Winter, cool Autumn mornings and evenings and hot summer nights. My points of reference are Seattle- rain 9 months of the year and two weeks of summer, and a part of Texas with two weeks of “winter” and 9 months of hot, humid discomfort. I understand how Southern California is idealized as an endless summer, and comparatively, it is pretty nice. That is why I moved here and pay the “ sunshine tax” 😉
I really enjoy hearing you two work through an idea. Thank you. I hope you have enjoyed your time tilted to school break 😊🌴
Hi Brooke! I really enjoyed the conversation at the end of this episode where you and Ben talk about how the self-care / self-reflection toolkit may be more accessible to women. I could really relate when you said it’s frustrating to see a loved one struggle and you think, “there is this entire toolkit over here that I have spoken about for many years and you are more than welcome to crack the lid and pull one out and give it a shot.” I think I said something very similar to my husband just a few days before listening to this episode (down to using the word “toolkit”)!
I also want to reflect a lot more on the idea that because women may have more practice with or access to this kind of self-reflective work that it can almost become a burden or part of our mental (over)load. I often catch myself feeling responsible for not only my own mental health but also for the mental health of the men in my family. I have to remind myself that everyone’s toolkit may look different, and doesn’t have to include the practices that I find most helpful. (But I also hope that I can raise my son to have more of an education in emotional literacy!)
I also wanted to share a song that I love called “I’m Not My Season” by Fleet Foxes. I’m in the raising young children season of life and I often use the lyrics from this song as a mantra– “I’m not the season I’m in.” I find it to be a good reminder that although this season is really tough, I can rise above the daily struggles, which helps me remember to appreciate the wonderful parts of this season of life!
We're exploring reincarnation/rebirth in my philosophy group this term, which may be the ultimate cyclical living! Does take the pressure off a bit, our wandering soul travelling throughout lifetimes &/or within a lifetime, depending on what you like to believe. Or just makes me think of Groundhog Day : )
I thought your “general” discussion on gendered roles in self-reflection was interesting. I think (maybe it is a GenX thing or my family thing) even as a female I was encouraged to just “suck it up” and get on with it. I wasn’t really encouraged to have/explore feelings (in spite of the few diaries I was given). This is really something I am growing into mid life. Although I will always remain more on the stoic side of things.
I also realize I am an outsider in my feelings of aging. Well yes I do miss better vision and some of the energy but I stopped colour if my hair in 2021, and I love my white locks. I also love my laugh lines. I am creeping up on 50 so ask me in a decade how I feel.
This was such a great episode - thank you. I was reflecting on this morning in the context of having just received a painting of my grandfather made during World War II, and wondering what it must have been like for people who had stressful and demanding but sometimes exciting jobs during war time when they returned to ordinary life of peace time. I really like the idea that there are seasons of life and not just those that are related to the seasons of the year and stage of life, but also those that are simply the result of external events and happenstance that we all have to deal with at different times. I found it really comforting to remember that seasons come and pass, and that all we can really do is to lean in to the season where we find ourselves. And that made me think about the Pete Seeger song 'Turn, Turn, Turn' based on the Book of Ecclesiastes:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain that which is to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time of love, and a time of hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Hi Brooke and Ben. Living in Brisbane, we don't really get much seasonal changes. It's measured by the level of heat - either stinking hot and humid, very hot, hot or warm, with very mild winters. I look at magazines of autumnal colours and wintery backdrops and wonder how beautiful that would be to experience. I yearn to live somewhere just to have a change of season where one is so different to the next. So I take my yearly trip to Stanthorpe on the NSW border to see the autumnal leaves, the wildflowers and being able to use the log fire at night. Or if I really want to get extreme seasons, visit my husband's family in Canada for Christmas.
I'm in the tropics (Far North Queensland) and have been for nearly 3 years after growing up in Melbourne. My seasonal approach down south was basically just waiting for the 30 odd days a year where the weather didn't suck and waiting for daylight savings to start so I could enjoy some actual daylight outside of work and commuting.
Up here there is no daylight savings, I work mostly nights in a place that is an 8min walk from home and the weather is either hot and dry or hot and wet, with a few cooler days where it gets below 24 degrees and the locals get their hoodies out. Those of us that live here year-round tend to crave the peak of the wet season in February. All of the seasonal locals and most of the tourists leave because it's too humid for them. A lot of businesses close or drop hours way back to give everybody a break, which is so welcome after peak tourist season. The sheer volume and intensity of the rain is a thing to behold and everything just slows down. It feels like all of the turning-in practices of Winter apply here at that time of the year, it's just that rather than being cold it's 33 degrees and 97% humidity 🤣
I really enjoyed this conversation: after living in a very 4-season environment for most of my life, I'm currently in Indonesia for an extended time, where it's hot & sunny every day with very little change since July. It's quite a mental shift as my body/mind wants it to be autumn (I'm northern hemisphere raised), but the reality around me is very much not. It's forcing me to refocus on life seasons and mini shifts that can help me be present the way I want to be this time of life/cycle/year, regardless of weather, but I'll admit that's much easier said than done!
This is so good to know! I think it's what we were trying to get at with the whole LA thing 😆. I think I'd find it really discombobulating to have no real distinctions between seasons, because there's something in-built that craves the changes. It's so interesting to hear you're feeling the same and I love that you're finding different ways to tap into the seasonality of life. I wonder if people who've lived in the tropics for their whole lives get that too? Or something similar for the hot/wet seasons? Such a cool thing to think about. Thanks for listening Holly! 💚
I feel like living in Far North Queensland, our summer is more related to European winter than I realised. It is monsoon season, and so often we need to stay indoors, or at least plan for bad weather, we need extra layers (umbrellas/raincoats) or if it is sunny, it is far too hot to do anything outside but relax or be in the water. And then the temperature in our winter is much more pleasant, and it’s the dry season, and I spend a lot more time out and about enjoying the outdoors
Hi, reporting from LA, or more specifically Burbank-home to MANY TV & Movie studios. There ARE noticeable seasons, and it even snowed (flurried) here last winter (climate change to blame). We get frost warnings in Winter, cool Autumn mornings and evenings and hot summer nights. My points of reference are Seattle- rain 9 months of the year and two weeks of summer, and a part of Texas with two weeks of “winter” and 9 months of hot, humid discomfort. I understand how Southern California is idealized as an endless summer, and comparatively, it is pretty nice. That is why I moved here and pay the “ sunshine tax” 😉
I really enjoy hearing you two work through an idea. Thank you. I hope you have enjoyed your time tilted to school break 😊🌴
Hi Brooke! I really enjoyed the conversation at the end of this episode where you and Ben talk about how the self-care / self-reflection toolkit may be more accessible to women. I could really relate when you said it’s frustrating to see a loved one struggle and you think, “there is this entire toolkit over here that I have spoken about for many years and you are more than welcome to crack the lid and pull one out and give it a shot.” I think I said something very similar to my husband just a few days before listening to this episode (down to using the word “toolkit”)!
I also want to reflect a lot more on the idea that because women may have more practice with or access to this kind of self-reflective work that it can almost become a burden or part of our mental (over)load. I often catch myself feeling responsible for not only my own mental health but also for the mental health of the men in my family. I have to remind myself that everyone’s toolkit may look different, and doesn’t have to include the practices that I find most helpful. (But I also hope that I can raise my son to have more of an education in emotional literacy!)
I also wanted to share a song that I love called “I’m Not My Season” by Fleet Foxes. I’m in the raising young children season of life and I often use the lyrics from this song as a mantra– “I’m not the season I’m in.” I find it to be a good reminder that although this season is really tough, I can rise above the daily struggles, which helps me remember to appreciate the wonderful parts of this season of life!
https://youtu.be/lLdGlDVg9So?si=9UjzuekIjt6Pb8Bk
Thanks for the episode!
We're exploring reincarnation/rebirth in my philosophy group this term, which may be the ultimate cyclical living! Does take the pressure off a bit, our wandering soul travelling throughout lifetimes &/or within a lifetime, depending on what you like to believe. Or just makes me think of Groundhog Day : )
Enjoy your break & Spring : )
I thought your “general” discussion on gendered roles in self-reflection was interesting. I think (maybe it is a GenX thing or my family thing) even as a female I was encouraged to just “suck it up” and get on with it. I wasn’t really encouraged to have/explore feelings (in spite of the few diaries I was given). This is really something I am growing into mid life. Although I will always remain more on the stoic side of things.
I also realize I am an outsider in my feelings of aging. Well yes I do miss better vision and some of the energy but I stopped colour if my hair in 2021, and I love my white locks. I also love my laugh lines. I am creeping up on 50 so ask me in a decade how I feel.
Enjoy your break.
This was such a great episode - thank you. I was reflecting on this morning in the context of having just received a painting of my grandfather made during World War II, and wondering what it must have been like for people who had stressful and demanding but sometimes exciting jobs during war time when they returned to ordinary life of peace time. I really like the idea that there are seasons of life and not just those that are related to the seasons of the year and stage of life, but also those that are simply the result of external events and happenstance that we all have to deal with at different times. I found it really comforting to remember that seasons come and pass, and that all we can really do is to lean in to the season where we find ourselves. And that made me think about the Pete Seeger song 'Turn, Turn, Turn' based on the Book of Ecclesiastes:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain that which is to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time of love, and a time of hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Great episode! Here's a relevant article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/20/well/mind/aging-health-benefits.html
Hi Brooke and Ben. Living in Brisbane, we don't really get much seasonal changes. It's measured by the level of heat - either stinking hot and humid, very hot, hot or warm, with very mild winters. I look at magazines of autumnal colours and wintery backdrops and wonder how beautiful that would be to experience. I yearn to live somewhere just to have a change of season where one is so different to the next. So I take my yearly trip to Stanthorpe on the NSW border to see the autumnal leaves, the wildflowers and being able to use the log fire at night. Or if I really want to get extreme seasons, visit my husband's family in Canada for Christmas.
I'm in the tropics (Far North Queensland) and have been for nearly 3 years after growing up in Melbourne. My seasonal approach down south was basically just waiting for the 30 odd days a year where the weather didn't suck and waiting for daylight savings to start so I could enjoy some actual daylight outside of work and commuting.
Up here there is no daylight savings, I work mostly nights in a place that is an 8min walk from home and the weather is either hot and dry or hot and wet, with a few cooler days where it gets below 24 degrees and the locals get their hoodies out. Those of us that live here year-round tend to crave the peak of the wet season in February. All of the seasonal locals and most of the tourists leave because it's too humid for them. A lot of businesses close or drop hours way back to give everybody a break, which is so welcome after peak tourist season. The sheer volume and intensity of the rain is a thing to behold and everything just slows down. It feels like all of the turning-in practices of Winter apply here at that time of the year, it's just that rather than being cold it's 33 degrees and 97% humidity 🤣