The Roots of Resilience

By Shazad

“If you want to change the fruits, you will first have to change the roots. If you want to change the visible, you must first change the invisible.”

>T. Harv Eker

“Storms make trees take deeper roots.”

>Dolly Parton

"A tree with strong roots can withstand the most violent storm, but the tree can’t grow roots just as the storm appears."

>Dalai Lama XIV

It’s Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and many leaves are changing color and about to fall. By winter, many trees look bare, and forests that were once booming with dense foliage will appear lifeless for many months. If you didn’t know better, you might think something had gone wrong in the world. But nothing has gone wrong. The tree is doing what it was designed to do. It lets go of what it can’t carry through the cold and pulls its energy down into its roots. The visible parts fall away, while the deep work continues out of sight.

Strong roots are critical because they anchor the tree against the harsh winter wind and heavy ice. They also store essential carbohydrates and nutrients and continue absorbing water for the tree. The tree is growing even during the cold season. A person going through a cold, dark, or stormy episode in their life is also continuing to grow, learn, and develop into something more than the thoughts and feelings they are currently going through.

During the warmer months, photosynthesis occurred in the leaves, allowing them to absorb carbon dioxide from the air, while the roots pulled up water. They use sunlight to convert these ingredients into glucose (sugar) for energy, releasing oxygen into the air. The leaves were a kind of “Solar Panel” energy source for the tree! When the days grow colder and darker, the leaves can no longer do their job, so the tree sheds them to survive using the energy gathered during the summer.

Our lives have seasons too. There are times when we feel stripped bare, when joy, energy, and confidence seem to fall away like dried, faded leaves. Shorter days and cooler weather definitely get me down on some days, and I know you can relate. Feeling this way doesn’t mean you’ve failed or that I’m depressed. It means we’re in a seasonal change. Despite the abundance of colours in the fall, you may feel sad, lonely, or lacking motivation to do things. That is perfectly normal, but you don’t have to stay in that place. I share some ideas below on how to navigate this season of your life.

Here’s the part I want to be careful about. A tree’s spring is almost guaranteed by nature, but ours often needs help. Some winters are longer than we expect, and no one should have to wait one out alone. That’s why the roots matter. Our nature requires us to be in good relationships and have a purpose in life. Remembering God, praying, staying close to our community, practicing healthy routines, and seeing a health professional as required are all ways to strengthen our roots while we are in the process of “shedding leaves”.

Practicing faith regularly and being around like-minded community members and family is key to having strong roots. Taking care of nutrition on a daily basis and ensuring there are no obvious deficiencies, such as in Vitamin D, is a medical concern for our mood and overall health. I believe in taking in as much morning sun as possible during Fall and Winter and getting outside to feel the crisp, cool air. It’s a lot better than indoor air and offers a change of scenery, which is good for my well-being. This ability to move, wander, and travel to different physical spaces is our key advantage over trees, which must endure everything where they are planted.

When simple steps such as prayer, sunlight, movement in nature, nutrition, and healthy community relationships are not working, there’s no shame in seeking professional help. Perhaps the right conversations and feedback from someone who is experienced with Mental Health issues is what you need to get over a hurdle or unpack a puzzle that you have been struggling with. Don’t be the person who is afraid to ask for help or embarrassed to admit you may not have everything figured out. No one does! Mental well-being is not a binary condition. You could be feeling like a 7/10 one day and a 4/10 the next. People experience things on a spectrum, and it varies throughout the day as well. No two people are alike, so make sure you take care of yourself and seek the proper help you need because you deserve to experience joy, strength, and growth in life.

When spring comes to the forest, it rarely arrives all at once. First, there are buds, then small leaves, and then growth we didn’t think was possible. The tree that was bent by the storm often comes back stronger, with roots that go deeper than before. New leaves cover the tree, and photosynthesis resumes. Similarly, a resilient person shows signs of being ‘weathered’ but remains standing, even thriving, in the new “season” of their life. This kind of person has shifted their efforts, focused on their roots during the cooler months, and gone beyond just surviving.

Remember this: bare branches are not the end of the story. They are what a tree looks like while it is growing roots. A person is not supposed to be cheerful, smiling, and Awesome-Looking all the time, 7/24. Make sure you work on continuously improving and strengthening your roots all year long so you can endure, and even grow, through the stormy weather that will come your way.

Have An Awesome Day Every Day!

(As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases)

Visit this link to order your copy of the Awesome Life book today!

Click Here: Buy The Awesome Life Book!

Enjoyed this? Join 300+ readers getting our weekly Wednesday Mental Boost — 5 ideas from history, philosophy, and science in under 30 minutes. Click here to join the Awesome Community: awesomelifebook.com