How to Make the Most of the Off Season

We all have off seasons. The times where we're doing anything but what we want to do. They're rarely fun. And they always seem to evoke confusion-- and maybe a touch of anger-- inside of us.

Why are we stuck in this situation? Why can't we seem to make time for the thing we want to do/are called to do? Have we become failures because nothing seems to be falling into place? Do we even deserve to call ourselves *whatever title we typically use* if we're not doing it right now?

It's easy to feel like we're not doing anything worthwhile when we've hit an off season. I mean, we have ideas of what we're supposed to do with our time, but we end up finding ourselves doing something completely different. Cue the mental beatings as we berate ourselves for being lazy, unmotivated, procrastinators, etc..

But that's not what we're supposed to do. We shouldn't beat ourselves up for something that we can't avoid.

So how do we make the most of the off season so we're better prepared for when we're back in the saddle? I have a few points that have helped me both in the past and right now, as I'm working through my own off season, and I'd like to share them with y'all.

~Embrace the season~

Nothing makes this time of your life worse than thinking you're not supposed to be here. 

Well guess what, sweetheart. You're here. There's not much you can do to change that yet. You may as well make the most of it. 

Embrace this part of your life. It's okay. As one of my new favorite quotes goes, "There is nothing in nature that blooms all year long, so neither should you." Not entirely sure who said it, but all credit to them.

I've pondered this a lot. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced of its truth. We have to have down time. We have to recover and refocus in order to make our best work. Also, other things in our lives have to take priority at some point. It's rather one-dimensional for us to think we're only meant to do one thing for the rest of our lives. We're not that shallow. 

Do you really think flowers gripe about not being in full bloom (if they had voices, of course)? Or do you think they are at peace, knowing they now have the opportunity to gather in the nutrients necessary to make the most beautiful, full blooms possible at the right time. 

Remember that this time is for you to replenish whatever it is that you might be lacking. Is it rest? Food? Creativity? Strength? 

Whatever it is, fill yourself up with it and you might find yourself coming out on the other side renewed and more equipped than ever to get back to work. 

~Grow~

What things can you learn while you're here in the off season? What proverbial wrench can you add to your toolbox? How can you use it to better your life in some way?

The off season is the perfect time to learn new tricks and skills. All those things you claim you don't have the time to learn/do? Well now you do. So maybe make a list of things you're curious about. Go check them out a bit. See where it takes you. What's the harm? It's not like you're able to focus on the other thing right now. You might even find those paths are shortcuts to get you back on track. Sometimes it just takes a different perspective or knowledge to reignite our passion for something. 

~Review and refocus~

You're sitting in the perfect time to review what you've done so far. Look over your goals, review the steps you've already made to achieve them, and remind yourself of what comes next. 

Imagine you're swimming. During most of your swim, your head is under water. You might get a blurry idea of where you are, but to really get a good idea, you have to lift your head above water for a brief moment.

The same goes for life. View this time as an opportunity to set yourself up for success. You're already forced to take a break. Why not use that rest time to have a clearer vision? Lift your head up, get an idea of where you are, and then dive back down when you have your bearings. If you've gone off course, do what you can to get back on track. Don't stress, but use it to help you get even further in life.

If any of you are in the off season, I hope you found this post helpful. Remember that this season isn't going to last forever. It will end at the right time. Be patient. Don't beat yourself up. Don't fight it. Embrace the peacefulness of it all. Look forward to how it will improve your on season.

Onto y'all! Are you in the off season? Have you been in one recently? What are some tips you've found that helped you? Let me know down below!