How Nature Teaches Us to Shed for a Better Self

Life is a constant ebb and flow, a perpetual state of becoming. Yet, so often, we cling to what is familiar, even when it no longer serves our growth. What if we looked to the natural world for a profound lesson in release and regeneration? From the smallest creature to the tallest tree, nature offers a masterclass in shedding what no longer belongs, making space for something stronger, brighter, and more authentic.

Think of the snake, gracefully slithering out of its old skin. It doesn't lament the loss; it simply moves forward, revealing a fresh, vibrant new layer beneath. This isn't just about appearance; it's about continued growth and health. Male deer shed their magnificent antlers each year, only to regrow them even larger and more impressive. Birds undergo molting, trading old, worn feathers for new ones that ensure their ability to fly and thrive. Even trees, in their autumnal splendor, release their leaves, preparing for a dormant period that leads to renewed vitality in spring. And in moments of extreme threat, a starfish or a lizard will shed an appendage, a seemingly drastic act that allows them to escape danger and regenerate. In each instance, it is in the discarding, the letting go, that the way is made for something greater, something new.

This principle of release and regeneration holds profound wisdom for our own lives. We too accumulate "skins" and "antlers" and "leaves" – habits, beliefs, relationships, and even versions of ourselves that, while perhaps once useful, now hinder our progress.

What are you holding onto that needs to be shed?

• Unhelpful Habits: Those routines and patterns that keep you stuck, offering comfort but little progress.

• Negative Self-Talk: The insidious inner critic that undermines your confidence and potential.

• Unrealistic Goals and/or Expectations: The burdens we place on ourselves that lead to constant disappointment rather than genuine achievement.

• Toxic Relationships: Connections that drain your energy, diminish your spirit, and prevent you from flourishing.

• Negative Influences: External forces, whether people or media, that pull you down rather than lift you up.

• Limiting Beliefs: The invisible chains forged by past experiences or societal conditioning that tell you what you can't do, be, or achieve.

Shedding old versions of ourselves that no longer serve us or others, is to make way for something new. In doing so, we get to live many lives in one lifetime. The act of shedding reminds us that our journey isn't about remaining static, but about continuous evolution. Each act of release is an opportunity to step into a new chapter, a more aligned version of ourselves.

A chapter is never the whole book, even if it was a meaningful chapter. We often imbue past experiences with a sense of permanence, forgetting that they are but segments of a larger, unfolding narrative. It’s okay to acknowledge the beauty and significance of a past chapter, while simultaneously turning the page.

It's a cliché, but true: things change, and you grow as a consequence. The things that resist change tend to decay or deform rather than grow. While it might feel comforting to collect your people, your places, and your things, and try to live forever within that world you've built, it is ultimately better for us to build new worlds over time.

We are a culture of storytellers, and these types of experiences – the shedding, the releasing, the regenerating – are how we find the words to write our most compelling narratives.

Embrace the courage to release, to make space, and to step into the ever-evolving, magnificent being you are meant to become.

©Lisa King, MS, LPC, NCC