It is maybe our most widely welcomed season and now here in the Northern Hemisphere it’s official! Summer has arrived.
On this edition of “Becoming Today”, we’ll mark the true start of Summer and look at ways this day can refresh and renew us all.
According to my long time friend, ‘The Old Farmer’s Almanac’, the Summer Solstice is derived from “the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). At the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still. This phenomenon is most noticeable at the Arctic Circle where the Sun hugs the horizon for a continuous 24 hours, thus the term ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’”.
They also note, the summer solstice is celebrated by cultures around the world and has been throughout the ages, citing the following examples:
“In Ancient Egypt, the summer solstice coincided with the rising of the Nile River. As it was crucial to predict this annual flooding, the Egyptian New Year began at this important solstice.
In centuries past, the Irish would cut hazel branches on solstice eve to be used in searching for gold, water, and precious jewels.
Many European cultures hold what are known as Midsummer celebrations at the solstice, which include gatherings at Stonehenge and the lighting of bonfires on hilltops”.
How you choose to celebrate, or not, on this day is of course entirely your decision. However for our common purposes here along our shared path, this seasonal change allows another opportunity to refresh and renew ourselves.
Seasons in life are important and that wisdom has been shared for quite a long time.
In the Scriptures, the passage often referred to as “A Time For Everything”, outlines the many changing seasons we all experience in life. It outlines the constant cycle of “Becoming”. In fact 28 specific times or seasons are mentioned in this one passage.
Now on “Becoming Today”, as part of our examination of ourselves and our shared paths we’ll take note that not included in those examples is a very important aspect; none of the 28 mention a time to quit.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, is perhaps so revered and often quoted because of its poetic approach towards life. It balances 14 distinct elements we all experience at one time or another, and some more than once. It reinforces our constant state of Always Being “Becoming”.
It teaches and reminds us that life is a mix of joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, harmony and struggle, and life and death. Each season has its appropriate time.
Some are difficult, and still we know that we must never give up and continue on in Faith, trusting in God, believing his plans for us are always based upon good purposes and joyful outcomes.
As the passage begins “There is a time for everything,…..”
Continuing on it moves to “a time to be born and a time to die,…” This is both literal and metaphoric. Life is a constant cycle of death and rebirth. We are constantly evolving, shedding our old identities and beginning anew as we continue “Becoming”.
“A time to plant and a time to uproot,….” The seasons of planting and harvesting. What we plant in the Spring when nurtured becomes the harvest we can reap.
Other key notes for our path of “Becoming” include:
“a time to tear down and a time to build,…”
Releasing the old, focusing on “Becoming”
“a time to weep and a time to laugh,…”
Tears can be healing and laughter lifts our journeys.
“a time to be silent and a time to speak,…”
Listening is essential in communicating and when speaking we’ve in earlier discussions addressed the needs to choose our words carefully
While certainly all 28 seasons are relevant for us, these examples are, I believe, some simple examples to consider, ponder and reflect upon on your own path.
Included among the lessons learned in studying these verses is that we are to accept each day as a gift from the hand of God because He has a reason and a time for all things.
There is much wisdom to be gained in understanding this concept of
“There is a time for everything, / and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
When we live our lives in faith we are “Becoming” our destinies as we comprehend and embrace the power in always trusting God. Our lives truly reveal their meaning and purpose when we rely on His wisdom, timing and goodness.
Much of “Becoming” involves embracing the need for change, it is the only way in which we can truly grow, develop and realize our potentials. Life is a process. A repetitive one/ We learn, grow, become then question, learn, grow and continue “Becoming”.
As we continue to walk this path together, be willing to question yourself and answer truthfully. “Becoming Today” requires focus, concentration, dedication and hard work, but it only requires strengths we all have within us.
Much of “Becoming” involves embracing the need for change, it is the only way in which we can truly grow, develop and realize our potentials. Life is a process. A repetitive one. We learn, grow, become then question, learn, grow and continue “Becoming”.
As we continue to walk this path together, today our focus is on looking at ways you can determine which season you are entering and how to best prepare for it. The first step is to Accept Yourself.
Sounds simple, right? Well just maybe it’s one of those things that sound easier than they really are. Nevertheless, accepting ourselves is an integral part of “Becoming”.
Accepting our strengths rather than empowering our perceived weaknesses, accepting our unlimited potential rather than self imposing limitations.
Our reality is one of always “Becoming”…. Restating our shared definition from Day One of this project: ‘’the process of coming to be something or of passing into a state”. Coming to be always, “Becoming”. Growing, developing and shifting into an attitude and daily practice of always, “Becoming”.
That is quite simply the essence behind, “Becoming Today”. Now getting there requires planning, action and growth plus accepting ourselves.
Each day I ask myself, how do I, as an individual and we as a society, focus on “Becoming” what we are truly destined to be? How do we become all we can be? How do we further enrich our lives and those of our families, friends, communities and society as a whole? What exactly is it we want to become today? Each and every day, becoming the best at whatever we desire, hope for, have set goals for, prayed for and how do we achieve this state?
What exactly does it mean to accept yourself? To begin with you need to embrace the reality of your life.
Not your own version of reality, rather a hardcore assessment of where you are and where you want to be. You may need to overcome many things including regret, denial. Or past failures and disappointments.
Yes we should practice positive self -talk but a true failure to connect with reality can not only be disheartening, but also sets us up for failure. In some cases it can also be quite dangerous, putting us at risk of hurting others as well as ourselves.
Here are the 8 steps of acceptance that I’ve learned along my path towards “Becoming”:
- Accept Yourself. Embrace the ability to unconditionally love all aspects of who you are. Both the positive and negative.Do not become overly critical. It all starts with the proper attitude.
- Accept that Accepting Reality is not the easiest thing to do. However acceptance of your current scenario will ultimately make you happier in the present , which then leads to a better future. Accepting your reality will help you choose your steps properly and keep the momentum moving forward and upward.
- Accept Truthful and Complete Honesty. When you get past your ego, then you can allow for the creation of beautiful new you. Denial will not make the negative go away.
- Accept Personal Responsibility. In order to fully accept your reality, you must take ownership of any role you may have played, good or bad, in leading you to where you are. When you do, then you can work on decisions for the next steps.
- Accept Your Mistakes. You can’t fix anything until you acknowledge you have a problem. Look at your mistakes not as failures but as learning opportunities. Reky on the power within for the strength to co-create your reality.
- Accept Ownership. Own all of it. Not just the challenges but also your strengths and success. Taking ownership of all your outcomes can teach you to do better, and that overcoming leads to a learning moment.
- Accept Power Over Your Fears. Do not let fear rule. Fears of what others think of you, fear of making a decision, fear of not being popular, is all demoralizing. It adds nothing to your experience. Realize that “they” will criticize, judge you, or ridicule you no matter what, so who cares?
- Accept Goal Setting and Planning. Clearly state your intention, desires and establish standards and practices. Ensure you have small steps in the plan to allow for immediate and quick accountability. Stick to it. “Becoming” can truly begin to happen once you have a plan with specific goals.
Submitted for your consideration these are not the final steps along your path. You can not create a state of “Becoming”, if you aren’t willing to let the former or current realities go.
Please comment below. I really am interested in hearing your questions, suggestions or concerns. You can also subscribe to be notified when new posts are available.
If you want to remain a little less public with your queries, then I welcome you to contact me privately. Just click over to my Contact page. There you will find a form to easily submit private communications.
I hope your summer is off to a fantabulous start and I look forward to enjoying what the path of this season shall bring us together.
Becoming Today with Rochelle Jeanette 
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