Usually, I am an early riser and like to spend some time reading in the early hours before my day starts. Although it is dark when I first get up, I enjoy how the darkness slowly changes into a bit of light. Just being able to embrace that little bit of morning light helps with things and feels uplifting. Now in the fall, I am noticing that that light is getting later and later to get started, and I feel like my whole morning ritual has changed.

I know intellectually that change can be good but embodying this feeling can get sometimes lost in the process. Our brains are so wired to do the same thing over and over again, that it becomes really hard when a change is actually required to be made. 

These changes will be even harder when we have the one hour “spring forward, fall back” routine for our clocks. While it may get a little lighter again in the morning, and I can once again start appreciating the morning light (at least for a little while), I will then start wondering how dark it will be when I come home at the end of my work day. Change again!

Then I ask myself a question. Why is change good for us? Why is it good when I have to be pushed out of my comfort zone? Why do I need to find new ways to coping with things, and energize my headspace? I guess the answer comes within the question itself. 

We are having thanksgiving dinner soon and decided that this year we would travel and visit family instead of hosting at our home. We have often had turkey as a thanksgiving tradition, and we thought about bringing turkey with us, but decided against the idea. This year we are having a change – we will be having butter chicken instead!

As I think about change, I start to realize that change is healthy and a necessary part of the experience and the world we live in. Having change means our mind expands in new and unique ways. Different experiences keep us alive as humans and serves as an opportunity to be more flexible and adaptable. Change is necessary. Change is good for the soul. 

So the seasons will come and go, the leaves will change colours, and it will get darker before it gets lighter again. I will continue to adapt to the morning darkness and the seasonal changes, and there will be no turkey for thanksgiving this year – but Christmas will be around soon!!

By Niel Halbig