The wind blows. No, it blasts or batters or anything more forceful than “blows”. For some reason, strong wind has always stirred up a slight anxiety in me. Heart racing, I watch the winter bare branches outside my window flailing wildly. Maybe it’s because wind means change and strong wind will make sure the change happens whether you want it to or not. Like most of us, I prefer to make changes on my own terms and not feel pushed into it. But that’s what wind feels like…pushing.

“What if you made no changes now, what would your life look like in 15 years?” That’s the question a friend shared with me that they had heard at a recent conference. Ouch. Whether is it financial, relational or health related, most of us know there are habits in our life that will have a long-term impact if we neglect to make changes today. The wind whips around the house. Pushing. Pushing. I feel it. But then, I think…”I don’t have to wait for a gale-force wind to drive me to make the change, I can put up a sail right now and harness the wind to go the direction I want.” I am picturing the giant windmills I drive past across the midwestern plains and the amazing energy they capture as the winds regale their blades. That’s what I need to do! Change fear into excitement and harness the energy of the lion’s windy roar of March to fuel my future. Whistle on, oh wind! March is a new month, a new season and I am choosing my changes.

(These are the wildly swaying trees in my backyard that I am watching as I write this.)