The cold slips in beneath your covers. Frost coats the window. The warm of the fire sparks something inside as you nestle further into the colder days ahead. That something has stirred, and even if it’s unclear what that thing is, you know that it’s important. You know that you have to find a way to feed that curious, ever-wandering mind.

For me, it’s the crunching of twigs breaking beneath my recently dusted off winter boots. It’s the mist covered branches, stretching, reaching, and winding their way through the forest, dancing with sunbeams. It’s the magic in the air when the silence hits my ears; I have nothing to do but explore my immediate surroundings. To explore the wonder, unknown, and change that comes with the merging of seasons.

Hello, Autumn. I am so incredibly happy to see you. 

Let yourself feel open to the idea of change, to the yet-to-be-determined, and moments yet to consume you. Instead of shying away from these things, try going towards them with a clear mind and open heart. It will make what you don’t know seem full of excitement instead of doubt. It will make the little things seem that much more beautiful.

Try to embrace the opportunities and beauty that surrounds you. Yes, they’re easy to miss, and often mistaken for being small and insignificant, but they are there, and they are worth your time. I promise.

• They are in the way you look at a recent health discovery or revelation.
• They are in that new song that keeps coming on the radio. You know, the one you just want to sing at the top of your lungs.
• They are in the taste of that pumpkin spiced something-or-other as you watch life pass you by in the peace and quiet of your favorite cafe.
• They are in the way you look at yourself in the mirror, with those familiar eyes staring back at you. Those same eyes that are ready to comfort you and care for you during the hardest, and the best of times.
• They are in the embrace of someone you love.
• They are in that spark of curiosity inside you that you can tap into at any time.

You are capable of feeling passion during turmoil, it’s just a matter of whether or not you can let yourself see it, embrace it, and let go of whatever else you think may be holding you back. Those mistakes, those feelings that pop up at the worst of times; they happen to all of us. They are a part of life. Yes, they are scary to face, but impossible to overcome? No. Certainly not. They are what help to shape us and form us into the resilient beings that we are today. They are what make us individually unique and capable of creating beauty in what we may feel like are the hardest of times.

Give yourself a day to explore, wander, and tap into those parts of you that are so easily overlooked. Knowing that regardless of where you are in your health, your mind, your life; you are capable of facing change and overcoming it. You are capable of finding beauty in every moment, and that’s exactly what you should allow yourself to do. Not only is it incredibly empowering, but by allowing yourself to do this, you could spark a desire for something new. You could discover something about yourself that you never knew was there. You could alter your view on change entirely.

Be curious

Be beautiful

Be you

But most importantly

Stop being so hard on yourself

Because you are amazing

And you are capable of anything