In the many seasons of our lives, it can seem like all too often we get caught in the grip of winter – like there’s nothing but desolation and sadness filling our world to the brim. It’s at times like these we can draw many lessons from nature around us.

Take the trees of winter, for example. Once these giants were covered in a beautiful array of leaves, giving shelter and joy to all. But now they look sad without them, almost like all their joy and happiness has been drained away, and all that remains is the basic need to survive.

But this is nothing compared to the leaves themselves. At least the tree will survive to grow bright and strong again. But these poor leaves fall away one by one, and pretty soon, there is only one solitary leaf remaining which in its turn will die and fall, too.  It’s very easy for us to think that we are like this leaf, alone on a branch, in which there is no one else around to help us in these hard times which we are struggling through.

When you are in this mindset and you feel like that leaf falling down deeper into the darkness of depression – and that is a truth that you are not alone when you do hit rock bottom – in fact, you are actually surrounded by thousands of other people who are going through exactly the same feelings as you.

Understand that life is not meant to be an internal struggle within yourself. You’re not meant to be that single leaf, concentrating on your fall and feelings of isolation and depression. Sure, it hurts when you’re lying there on the ground, but you have the ability to help others, and in doing so, all of the problems that seem to overwhelm you don’t seem so big anymore. And that’s so important, because when you dedicate your life towards helping others, then, and only then, will you find purpose and completion.