Making Room for the Next Season of You

Living in the mountains has taught me a few things. One of them is that change almost never announces itself. It just quietly happens.

On a random Tuesday, I might be out for a short hike, spending time with my horse, or out on my mountain bike. One morning, everything looks exactly the same as the day before. Then, almost without noticing, a small grove of aspens starts glowing gold. Before long, the whole mountain has completely transformed.

What fascinates me is that nature never fights the process. The trees do not struggle to hold onto their leaves. Summer does not argue with autumn to stick around a little longer. Each season simply does its thing, then gets out of the way for the next.

The older I get, the more I realize how terrible we can be at this compared to nature. I am challenged with this every day. It wasn’t that long ago that I was overweight, unhealthy, and sitting in a corporate job. Today, I am healthy and an entrepreneur, yet I still catch myself holding onto old versions of who I was. We replay old memories, carry old baggage, and keep telling ourselves stories about who we used to be. Meanwhile, life just keeps moving.

When we slow down and actually observe nature, whether that is watching the seasons shift or calmly trying to figure out what to do when a bear wanders into camp, our perspective softens. The mountains remind us that we don’t need to force life to unfold. There is wisdom in simply allowing each season to be exactly what it is.

This September, my wife, best friend, and business partner, Dr. V, and I are hosting The Heart’s Return retreat. As we get closer to the date, I find myself thinking less about the schedule and more about the season itself. Autumn is an invitation to reflect. It reminds us that letting go is not a loss; it is just how we make room for what comes next.

For those joining us, my role is to be a guide, a sounding board, and importantly—the chef. Selfishly, I am just incredibly excited to cook some great food, connect with everyone, and listen to their experiences while sharing some of my own. I hope everyone attending gives permission to slow down long enough to notice what life has been quietly trying to show all along.

Some of my favorite moments of the retreat will definitely happen after dinner. Stepping outside, looking through the telescope, and seeing the vastness of the universe has a funny way of shrinking our everyday worries. It makes the meaningful moments feel that much more precious.

Warmly,

Greg Platz
COO | Modern Holistic Health