Fall is one of my favorite seasons and can be a potent time to enter into transformational work. Traditionally, this has been a time of celebration and gratitude as the last of the harvest has been gathered and we prepare for winter. Before mass supermarkets and Amazon, people would take stock of their resources and store up what they need to get them through the winter.

We can do the same in our journey of becoming more authentic and in alignment with what we value most. We can start this transformational work by taking stock of our inner and outer resources.

Go ahead, get out a pen and paper, and list all your inner resources. Don’t edit or filter! Keep writing as much as you can- everything from being kind; courageous; good sense of humor; able to get things done; or ability to stop and appreciate a flower. Sometimes setting a timer for 5 or 10 minutes can help you stay focused and forget about the time.

By writing down your inner resources, they become more tangible and perhaps easier to access. You can refer to this list when you are struggling and tap into one or more of these resources that you temporarily forgot you had.

Now write a list of your outer resources. Examples of these could be a pet that gives you love; roof over your head; a really good friend; the tree in your yard that you feel connected to. Again, don’t filter, just keep writing.

These inner and outer resources can be tremendous support in times of struggle and assist you in navigating ways of being that enhance the life you are wanting to live. Now to the storing up part of our winter preparation.

Keep your Resources List where it is easily accessible. Refer to these when you need to be reminded of how resourced and supported you really are. At times, it can be easy to slip into feelings of scarcity and lack- looking at these lists can change your mindset. The more you remind yourself of these stored resources, the easier it is to tap into them.

When you are in the midst of interacting with one of your resources, you can hardwire the benefits into your nervous system. Rick Hanson’s work on Positive Neuroplasticity give us a methodology for doing this. Doing these practices literally helps us to store up resources within our nervous system which will help you call upon them with greater fluidity and ease.

– Notice when you are interacting with a resource, especially a resource you are trying to develop
– Really experience the moment: how do you feel using this resource; can you make it last longer; turn up the dial on the experience; is there something new about this experience of using this resources (the nervous system links on to novelty)
– Absorb the experience. Soak it in like a sponge.

This Fall, may you tap into resources that amaze, surprise and assist you in honoring your authentic, dynamic Self.  Enjoy the process of taking stock and storing up your inner and outer resources. If you would like assistance with this process, I’m here to help!