Do you ever feel like you’re being pushed into the next season before the current one is even over? Christmas decorations on display in September. Swimsuit shopping in January. Back-to-school ads at the beginning of summer vacation. Social media posts from your friends who start the countdown to fall in July. We are surrounded with messages that encourage us to anticipate the next season.

While there is wisdom in planning ahead, sometimes we spend so much time thinking about the next season that we miss the one we are in. So, here are my top reasons for embracing your current season of life:

Haste makes waste.

When we try to rush, we often make mistakes. If we slow down and live with intention, then we won’t miss out. No regrets! Take time to enjoy the big and the little moments. The little moments often bring the most joy.

Seasons do not last forever.

The only constant we have is change. Sometimes the change is instant. Sometimes it is quite slow and subtle. Sometimes it is by choice. And sometimes the change comes because of a circumstance beyond our control. Whatever season you are in- easy, hard, short, long, good, bad- it will eventually come to an end and you will transition into another season. Better to end a season with a heart full of gratitude and contentment rather than anger and bitterness.

Right now is the moment that matters.

Yesterday is gone. We are not promised tomorrow. All we have is this present moment. Don’t get so lost in the past or the future that you can’t enjoy or appreciate the right now. Each season has its own beauty, blessings, lessons, and experiences. Lean in to this time. Every day is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present! (I couldn’t resist.)

Life is a journey, not a destination.

As soon as we think we have “arrived,” there is always something new. Each ending is a new beginning. Just as in nature, our lives have a continuous flow. An on-going cycle. A rhythm. Plant, grow, harvest, rest. If we can learn to embrace the rhythm, to work with it rather than against it, we will find more contentment. More peace. More joy.

Resist the temptation to always anticipate and take some time to savor this season.