4 Lessons Humans Can Learn From Groundhogs . . Go Figure

Happy Groundhog Day! Yup. It’s that special day when a poor, unsuspecting Pennsylvania groundhog named Phil gets dragged from his snug little home to face down reporters and spotlights and all manner of curiosity seeking seasonal prognosticators in the name of six weeks – give or take – of winter.

And what did he do? Well, Phil did what any intelligent critter would do. He ran back into his snug little groundhog hole-in-the-ground home to sleep off the bad experience for another six weeks.

Okay. Okay. Groundhogs being groundhogs, what more could we expect, right?

The thing is: It seems Phil isn’t the country’s only groundhog to whom we humans look for meaningful decisions on Winter’s End. He has cousins. (Heaven only knows how many!) And they don’t all agree with Cousin Phil . . either that, or some just didn’t get the memo.

Here in Ohio, for instance, it seems Spring is coming early. YEA!!!

Then again: Maybe the Ohio branch of the family is a little slow on shadow reading types of things. Or, maybe they simply dislike winter as much as I do and decided to revolt.

But what on earth – you must be asking – do groundhogs have to do with you! What could a bunch of confused groundhogs possibly have to teach an intelligent, successful midlife adult (i.e., you?) who’s caught between all they believe about themselves . . and all the stresses they’ve piled so high on their plates?

Are your memos to self sometimes lost in translation, too?

So You Think You’re So Different From A Groundhog?!

Well let me tell you. We aren’t so different from critters like groundhogs named Phil and Phyllis as you might imagine. And just because I realize your time’s so limited, and your life is so pressure-filled, I’m going to keep this comparison short.

Ready? Here goes:

• Groundhogs live in holes in the ground, as far down and out of reach as they can get from predators, cold winds and wicked winter weather. What about you? Do you do your best to be inaccessible, unavailable, and out of touch with your own well-being? How hard do you have to work at closing your mind to your own needs? That must get awfully tiresome.
• Groundhogs hate spotlights, and reporters sticking microphones in their faces, and strangers who stand around laughing at them for being who they are. What about you? Do you have a difficult time being honest with yourself and others about your thoughts and feelings of who you are, how you are, and what matters in your world – particularly when those others disagree? Do you have some major issues with where the world’s going and who’s taking it there . . issues that seem to be eating their way through that hard shell of yours . . issues those others don’t take seriously enough? In those small moments when you’re perfectly honest with yourself, I’m betting all the stress is taking a bit of a toll on your too busy life. Am I right?
• Groundhogs prefer sleeping – undisturbed – through the winter, to being toyed with six weeks before they’re ready to get up. Who can blame them for being a little annoyed? What about you? Do you live your life by a schedule, with little room for unexpected or unwanted change? Are your health and well-being suffering from all the intrusions on your time? Of course, everything is inconvenient when it threatens to throw the rest of your busy life off balance. And, heaven knows, you’re way too busy to appreciate being toyed with by anything less than an absolute emergency. But do you live your life always primed and waiting for the next emergency to strike? That’s got to be hard.
• Groundhogs don’t appreciate seeing their shadows reflected on the bright glare of the winter snow. It’s not natural. Of course they run back to the dark safety of their winter den! What about you? Does your shadow frighten you? From what, or from whom, are you running really? Does your shadow remind you of your accomplishments – or your assumed failings? Does your shadow have hard edges similar to your own hard edges and those of every disappointment, misplaced judgment, and failed decision in your life? If so, isn’t it time to soften those edges so the glare doesn’t hit them with so much force?

Stop Running From Your Shadow

Today is the groundhog’s day. Tomorrow he’ll be forgotten as we get back to dealing with winter once again. Of course in another six weeks – or less if you live in Ohio and the weather starts warming up a bit – that groundhog will re-emerge ready for the dance that is spring.

What about you? Will anything have changed in the ways you perceive of your world when spring appears? Will you be ready for the dance? Or, will you still be running from your shadow?

Don’t look down your nose at the lowly groundhog my friend. His conscience is clear. What about you?

Do yourself and everyone around you a favor, and stop running from your shadow. After all, it’s just a shadow. You’re the real thing. And being that real thing, you have all kinds of options for letting go of the stuff you’ve been carrying around for so long that frightens you when you hold it to the light.

Stop being your own worst critic. Make peace with that shadow. It’s part of you.

Imagine, if you can, just how different your life could be if you stopped running . . . and instead, embraced all that your shadow is trying to teach you.

How would you change if you stopped shutting yourself off from the rest of who you are?

Open yourself to those possibilities. Climb out of your “hole in the ground”. Smile for the cameras. Welcome the new day, and get on with living. That’s what life’s all about.

Just make up your mind to keep growing my friend, and then do it! Do it for yourself. Do it for those you love. Do it because you’re a human being . . and not a groundhog! Just do it.

And if you need a little help, you know where to find me.

Gail

Tagged as: Happy Groundhog Day, health, meaningful decisions, shadow, stress, well-being