no FOMO
This weekend, a cold struck me down, leading to a rare pause in my usually bustling schedule. I had planned on a weekend crammed with fun social events, yet I found myself confined, cancelling everything to avoid spreading illness. This unexpected break stirred up familiar feelings: a sense of weakness, guilt over letting others down, the fear of missing out, and a realization of my struggle with genuine rest.
Rest, Reflection, and Purpose are resonances of the Water element, the season of Winter.
As autumn ends and we transition into winter, the energy of the Metal element prepares us for this shift. It's a time to release old habits and beliefs, making space for hibernation, contemplation, and rejuvenation. In the element cycle, Metal nurtures Water.
This transitional phase prompts introspection: What are you holding onto that holds you back? Over the weekend, I grappled with trusting the importance of non-productivity. Yet, this struggle allowed me to see its importance. In the stillness following the great clearing of autumn (Metal), a quiet space emerges (Water). It's in this emptiness where we can reconnect with a deeper purpose, free from usual constraints.
Metal's role is to help us sever limiting habits that lead to burnout. It tells us that it's okay to rest. Missing a social event? Life goes on, and if you're unwell, you wouldn't enjoy it anyway. This applies to work too, particularly if you run your own business. Do you allow yourself to slow down, do you actually rest?
The practices associated with the Metal element, like meditation, emphasize depth and simplicity. They encourage us to breathe deeply, clear our minds, and focus on less.
Each phase of the element cycle supports the others. We experience these phases daily: emergence (Wood - waking up), creation (Fire - working), production (Earth - producing results), refinement (Metal - learning from experiences), and rest (Water - reflecting and rejuvenating).
Without Metal's refinement, we risk carrying forward our mistakes. Without Water's rest, we start the next cycle already depleted and disconnected from our purpose.
Many of us live in a constant loop of activity, but when presented with a different perspective, we might choose otherwise.
