The Hearts Hello

Embracing Winter's Transformation: From Fear to Bold Decisions

• Keona Ellerbe • Season 2 • Episode 22

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This episode delves into the importance of embracing winter as a season of stillness and growth. Keona Talana encourages listeners to confront their fears and make bold decisions that will lead to personal transformation and readiness for the upcoming seasons of life. 

• Embracing winter's symbolism 
• The power of stillness and reflection 
• Shedding fear and judgment 
• Rethinking our relationship with fear 
• Importance of making bold decisions 
• Taking actionable steps towards growth 
• Preparing for the future by facing current challenges 
• Encouragement to share personal stories and obstacles

Speaker 1:

Hey, heart Seekers, welcome to the Hearts Hello Show, where our hearts are the foundation of our well-being and happiness. I am your host, kiana Talena, in this episode. First, let me start off by saying Happy New Year. I know that you all ate great. I know that you all feel great. I know that you all sometimes are afraid to even look into your bank account for what you may have spent during that year, or to even step on the scale to figure out my gosh, I shouldn't have had that last slice of pie or that whole pie. Oh, maybe I'm just telling on myself. I shouldn't have eaten that whole pie, but it was so good, oh so, so good, but it was so good, oh so, so good. But in this episode, you all, as we are in this new year and I know that so many people are talking about new year, new year, new year, new year, new year's resolutions, vision boards, all of these things going into Daniel's fasting, all of these things are great. But I want us to really hone in on the season that we're in. I want us to start operating the way that nature operates during certain seasons. As we are in this winter season and as for a long time in the DMV it really has not snowed, but today it snowed and I had the opportunity to just look out the window and see how nature operates during this season. I also believe that winter is a season of bold decisions. So, yes, so many people are doing their goal setting and all of that is absolutely great, but I want us to reflect on the symbolism of winter. I want us to think about winter as a season of stillness, because I believe that it's a time of preparation and renewal. See, when you look outside and you're looking at, you know the flowers and things that aren't there, the grass that is no longer green, but no one ever focuses in on the fact that, beneath that frozen ground, that roots are still growing stronger. No one thinks about why the trees shed their leaves in the fall. No one thinks about how, when springtime comes, those same leaves that fell off that that tree now produces new ones.

Speaker 1:

If we operate our lives the same way as seasons operate, we will begin to understand what winter is about. We will begin to understand and place a mirror in front of our winter moments and sometimes realize that during this season, we sometimes face uncertainty, we sometimes face fear. We're dealing with judgment, and I want us to lean in on that, because the things that we begin to correct in this season will produce the harvest that we're looking for in spring. So I have a question for you what bold decision are you avoiding because you're afraid of what others might think, of what others might think? See, these are the things that we need to begin to hone in on and harness as we're entering into this new year, because you know that how you enter into a year and what you begin to set up at the beginning of the year will carry you throughout the remainder.

Speaker 1:

And, as I already shared, if we're operating and doing our lives, the way that the seasons are set up, there's some work that needs to take place in the winter season. Not that we have to run full speed, and, as I already stated that winter is a season of stillness, but also winter is a season of preparation. Winter is a season of rest and reflection, so it allows us to do a little less, but also doing what matters most. See, this season is when we spend time with family and, as they talk about being able to cuddle up next to the fire, why is that? You're resting, but I also believe that there is power in winter. I believe that we can shed fear in winter. As I already said, it's just like trees shed their leaves in fall To survive the winter. We must shed our fears and judgment to endure our winters. See, winter is a season that tests what we're made of. It's quiet but it's powerful, and most times people are afraid to be with themselves. See, when you hear about cuffing season and all of those things, it's because people want to be close with others. This is a season of stillness, especially if you're in a climate where it may snow, you may get snowed in, but it's when things slow down and when you can't deal with you during this season. During this season, it just continues to roll into your others.

Speaker 1:

So, for me, I kind of shared, even with you all last year, that one of the areas that I have not necessarily talked about a lot, that I will begin to go into more of which is because I feel like now that I've healed and am still healing, but healed to a place where I can begin to talk about my divorce, I can begin to talk about what was going through my mind at that time, where it was just like. This is not working for me is not working for me, and why? After 14 years? Was it just not enough? See, I'm in a place now where I'm looking back at that and I'm like it's time for me to voice how I felt about that. It's time for me to be vulnerable in that space. Vulnerable in that space, but I'm realizing that as I'm sitting still in these winter months and as I'm preparing for what's getting ready to come. So, again, I've talked about how winter is so powerful and how we can begin to have these bold decisions, or begin to make bold decisions during the season.

Speaker 1:

So we have to choose how we act. Despite our fear and uncertainty, we have to sometimes go against the grain and embrace our authenticity. See, most of the time, fear thrives in silence and stagnation, and those bold decisions that you have to make are going to require you to confront the fear with action. This is that season. We have to be able to move past the judgment. Judgment can be the noise because your purpose is a signal. Judgment can be the noise because your purpose is a signal. It shares with you how judgment often comes from people who don't understand the full picture.

Speaker 1:

And let me say this you don't have to explain the story. Your decision is your decision and I believe sometimes we feel like we have to justify why we made the decision. Yes, you may share it, you may not, and that's up to you. But you don't have to be stuck in that spot because you feel like, well, someone may ask me about this. You have the power to be able to say no. You have the power to say I don't want to share that. You have the power to say that's none of your business. But when we begin to move past judgment, we can then begin to share those vulnerable spaces that we sometimes don't want to open up about, that we sometimes don't want to open up about.

Speaker 1:

See, sometimes we have to be able to take a bold leap in time, even during the doubt, if that means you need to start that business, if that means you need to leave that toxic relationship, if you need to just sit still with you and face you. Those are things that we have to address. Those are things that, during this season, you want to take care of, because you want to do the things that need to be done during this winter month so that you can reap the harvest in the spring. So that you can reap the harvest in the spring. So, again, I ask you, what decisions have you been putting off? And who's really judging you? And do their opinions matter? So how do we press into the power? How do we move beyond the fear and the judgment? How do we make these bold decisions during this winter season?

Speaker 1:

Well, the first thing is acknowledging the time, acknowledging the fact that we may be waiting, acknowledging the fact that there may be resting, acknowledging the fact that there's going to be some preparation, but then also being able to reframe your fear. See, fear is often a sign that something matters. But what if the fear was your cue to lean in instead of holding back? See, most of the time, people will see the fear and be afraid to face it, so they just sit there and look at it as opposed to figuring out. How can I conquer it? How can I go around it? How can I go through it? How can I get over this fear? Because if you do not address it, the only thing that you can do, the only thing that you will continue to do, is feed it, and we have to get to a place where we acknowledge that it's there. But then, how do I defeat it. What is it that you need to do? What is it that you are afraid of? So you can't run away from the fear. You have to run towards it in order to defeat it. Just like when we used to play and may still play video games.

Speaker 1:

In order for you to get to the next level, there was always an opponent at the end. You went through all of these different things on the stages to get you to the end point, and that opponent was stronger, faster than anything else that you had to defeat on that level. Same thing with our lives. There are going to be obstacles that we have to overcome each and every day, but then it's almost like a test. At the end oh, you want to get to the next level. How bad do you want it?

Speaker 1:

And most of the time, people just keep repeating the same level over and over and over again, because they don't want to fight the opponent. At the end, they feel like, oh, they're too fast. Oh, they're going to judge me. Oh, then there's this shame. Oh, then there's this judgment. Oh, then I have to deal with the opinions of others. So what? You're always going to be stopped by this until you decide that you know what? Enough is enough.

Speaker 1:

I have to get through this in order for me to get to my next. I have to do this, I have to take this test in order for me to get to the next level in my career. I have to get this certification in order for me to get to my next level in my business. I have to do therapy or whatever it is in order for me to get to my next level in my business. I have to do therapy or whatever it is in order for me to get to the next level in my relationship. I have to lean into as opposed to running away from.

Speaker 1:

So, yeah, there may be some criticism based on your bold decisions. So, yeah, there may be some criticism based on your bold decisions, but guess what? You are still moving in action. So, as we're still thinking about, in winter, nature doesn't ask for permission to rest and renew, so we don't need permission to choose ourselves either. You have to take the time, you have to deal with you. You have to do what is going to prepare you for the next season.

Speaker 1:

So I know that some of you all are thinking about what? What is my call to action? Well, your call to action is answering. What fear are you holding on to? What bold decision can you make today that's going to move you closer to your purpose? Whose judgment are you afraid of, and why does their opinion matter? So, for the next seven days, I need you to commit to one small action that scares you. It could be setting a boundary, it could be starting a project, it could be just you speaking your truth. But we have to lean into the seasons that we're in. We have to be able to address what we're afraid to address, because we'll keep fighting this same opponent over and over and over and over and over again. And that opponent let me let you in on a key is you. There's no one else standing in your way except for you.

Speaker 1:

When you begin to renew your mind, when you begin to change your thoughts, when you begin to reframe those fears that you have looking at your characteristics and your habits, when you begin to address those things, you'll realize all this time you have been fighting you. I know, I know it hurts sometimes. I know sometimes that it feels easier to just give up. I know sometimes that you feel like, well, I hope that it will just go away. It won't. It'll still be there. But will you make the decision before you even think about setting that New Year's resolution? Even think about setting that new year's resolution before you even think about what that goal is going to be? You have to address you first. This is why the resolutions, the goals, and none of those things ever matter, because you haven't dealt with your mindset, you haven't dealt with the baseline of what's going to get you to that next level. You're only going to go as far as you can take you. You're only going to go as far as you being able to see that fear and saying I don't want to fight, as opposed to saying oh no, come on, because if it means me having to be in this same spot again next year talking about a goal, a resolution that you may have had in a previous year and you're still trying to deal with that because of what's in front of you, you're going to have to figure out how to get through it. You, you're going to have to figure out how to get through it. So I need us to just think about that. I need us to think about that.

Speaker 1:

Winter isn't just time to endure. It's time to prepare for what's next, those bold decisions you make now will lead to the spring of your life. So your boldness is a seed, and the spring will come because of the decisions you make today. So I need you to let me know how you're embracing your winter season and enraging bold decisions. That's what I want to know from you. I want to know what are you going to do in this season.

Speaker 1:

I don't want to hear about your resolutions. I don't want to hear about your goals. I don't want to hear about your vision boards. I don't want to hear about any of that. I want to know how you're leaning into your winter season. I want to know how you're resting and preparing for your next season. I want to know what fear you are going to conquer. I want to know about your small steps forward to get through what you have been telling yourself that you need to get through for some time.

Speaker 1:

Now it's your time. It's right now, today, and I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you because you made the decision. I'm proud of you for showing up for you. I'm proud of you for realizing that the next version of you is going to depend on the decisions that you make today, and you're going to get there. We are going to get there together, because this is a journey and we're all on it. So I thank you for your vulnerability. I thank you for your vulnerability. I thank you for your authenticity. I thank you for showing up for you. All right, let's get to work.