Fall down 7, get up 8
Happy Fall y’all! It is here + it is fabulous – the fall reminds us that all things must come to an end to begin once again. Fall reminds us to slow down + take a deep breath. Fall is a time of transition + harvest. Fall symbolizes change + letting go. Fall reminds us of balance where we have equal amounts of daylight + darkness. And, most importantly, fall reminds us that when we fall, we CAN get back up again.
The Japanese proverb “fall seven times, stand up eight,” has been used in many walks of life from resilience + perseverance to recovery from substance use, burpees, + baby giraffes. No matter how many setbacks we have, we always get back up. So far, we have survived every single one of our hardest days.
Take a look at these 5 examples and see how you may be able to apply one or more in your life. Maybe you even get matching tattoos with your besties to remember just how strong + resilient you are.
1. “If you are going through hell, keep going.” Winston Churhill said this explaining that hard times are temporary and that the only way through is to keep moving forward. Next time you feel stuck, make a small tangible forward (or lateral) move – schedule something, cross something off the list, or simply take a walk.
2. “The comeback is always greater than the setback.” A popular motivational quote that redefines our setbacks as defining our character. Reminding ourselves that moving forward takes daily consistency + accountability rather than quick fixes. Think back to a time that gave you character – write down one word that describes you now after that situation – that is your superpower.
3. Be like a phoenix rising from the ashes. The phoenix rising from the ashes is a legendary, immortal bird from ancient mythologies that obtains new life by regenerating from the ashes of its predecessor. Mic drop – be like the phoenix. In fact, create an image that represents something like this for you + place it on your mirror, look at it often.
4. Think like a baby giraffe. A newborn baby giraffe drops about six feet to the ground during birth. Its mother nudges or kicks it until it stands up – literally standing up in the face of adversity. Can you help nudge (don’t kick) someone you care about to let something go or move forward? Even just listen.
5. When life knocks you down, do a burpee. There you have it – when life seems challenging don’t forget to take care of yourself. Add in some movement, take a new class, meet a friend for a hike, stand up + stretch right now or do a burpee or two!
You got this. Season change can be beautiful + difficult too. Slow down, take in some motivation, and keep going. You might fall down 7 times, yet you will rise 8.