🎶 ...and go round and round 🎶 in the circle game 🎶

Seasons, Turnings, and the Wisdom of Generational Thinking

And the seasons they go round and round…

Is there a season you wish could last forever?

Maybe it’s the fresh growth of spring, the crisp mornings of autumn, or the quiet beauty of winter. For me, it’s summer. As a young girl, I fell in love with those endless days of unscheduled time, unlimited books from the library which happened to be just a short walk from home, and—I’ll be honest—my birthday lands smack dab in the middle of the season. Who wants watermelon? ☀️ 🍉 ⛱️ There’s something magical about summer’s boundless possibilities.

But just as the seasons change, so does the rhythm of our world. What if I told you that society, like nature, has its own seasons—ones that unfold not over months, but decades?

Just as nature moves through its seasons, society transitions through its own rhythms, known as Turnings. These cyclical shifts influence not only the world around us but also the patterns of our lives.

Let’s explore this fascinating connection together.

Are you ready to wrap your mind around this?

In some ways, it’s going to feel familiar;
in others, it might stretch your thinking just a bit.

We all know that in one year, we’ll experience all four seasons—a full cycle. But we’re not used to thinking of 20 years (roughly the length of a life stage) as just one season in generational terms. And it might surprise you to realize that a full generational cycle spans 80 to 100 years.

Whenever I sit with this concept, I feel myself shrinking—like I’m just a tiny piece of something much bigger. It’s a little like that Honey, I Shrunk the Kids moment. LOL.

Here is the big picture:

A single year contains all four seasons,
and a full life contains four generational cycles, referred to as Turnings¹.

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We’ve become so familiar with the seasonal cycles that even in the depths of winter, we know—without a doubt—that spring will arrive. We’ve experienced this rhythm for as many years as we’ve been alive. It’s so ingrained that we don’t even pause to question it.

But it’s not the same with generational cycles—the Turnings.

As we move through life, we don’t naturally think in terms of Turnings.

Instead, we simply live—absorbing the world around us as children, exploring and pushing boundaries in young adulthood, and then, in midlife, beginning to reflect. It’s in that reflection—looking back at how the stages of life have unfolded—that we start to see the patterns. The Turnings were always there, shaping the backdrop of our lives, but it’s only then that we begin to recognize them for what they are.

If this feels familiar, you’re not alone.

The life you experience is deeply influenced by the Turning you were born into.

Let’s break it down so you can make sense of it…

As we explore these generational cycles, think about your own journey—where do you see yourself within these patterns? How have these cycles shaped your experiences so far?

To better understand how these Turnings work, let’s align them with the seasons and explore their unique characteristics.

If all this feels abstract, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered.

Here’s a quick and simple way to grasp the essence of the four Turnings.
Take a look!

Joni Mitchell so poignantly described the carousel of time in her 🎶 song , “The Circle Game”. The Turnings also remind us that while we can’t return to the past, we can look behind to understand the patterns shaping our journey.

• Looking back now, can you see how society has followed a rhythm similar to this pattern?

Now that we’ve explored the rhythms of the Turnings, let’s take a closer look at how they unfold over time.

Each Turning spans roughly 20–25 years, forming a cycle that lasts about 80–100 years—the length of a long human life.

History, like the seasons, unfolds in cycles. The generational timeline below offers a sweeping view of the Turnings as they have played out over the past century. Each Turning is shaped by the unique challenges, values, and actions of the generations living through it. As you explore the timeline, reflect on where your own life fits within this cycle.

This timeline gives us a bird’s-eye view of how the Turnings flow together, but what about your own life?

Let’s get personal.

Every life is shaped by the Turning in which it begins—and by the generations that experience each Turning at different life stages.

Our individual life stages—from childhood to elderhood—are deeply connected to the rhythms of the Turnings. This graphic illustrates how each generation’s journey aligns with society’s broader cycles, revealing the dynamic interplay between personal and collective experience.

Click to view enlarged in separate tab

Take a moment to locate your own journey within this alignment. How did the Turning you were born into shape your early experiences? And how might the Turning you’re currently navigating influence your present perspective? Understanding these connections can offer profound insights into both personal and societal change.

Just as seasons shift, society evolves. In 2025, we are navigating the Crisis Turning—a period marked by societal upheaval and transformation, where collective challenges demand bold solutions.

Joni Mitchell’s ‘The Circle Game’ beautifully captures this cyclical nature, reminding us that while we can’t return to the past, we can reflect on its patterns to guide our future. The painted ponies of Mitchell’s carousel mirror the rhythm of the Turnings—rising in times of High and Awakening, and descending through Unraveling and Crisis, only to rise again. The seasons go round and round, and so do the Turnings—each bringing its own mood, challenges, and opportunities for renewal.

Looking ahead, we can anticipate that society will, as always, correct its course. It’s the natural rhythm of these cycles. And I believe this pattern will guide us toward renewal and growth in the years ahead. While the Crisis Turning brings uncertainty, it also sets the stage for renewal. History shows us that after every storm, society emerges with new strength and direction.

Just as summer promises its boundless days and winter its quiet beauty, the Turnings remind us that each season—whether societal or personal—offers its own challenges and opportunities for growth. Recognizing this cyclical rhythm helps us prepare for what’s next while appreciating the present.

So hold on, do what you can, and remember—change is both cyclical and forward-moving.

• What Turning did you grow up in, and how did it shape your childhood or young adulthood? If you could change one thing about how it influenced you, what would it be—and why?

• How might your outlook have been different if you were more aware of the Turnings while growing up? Can you recall a specific moment when this awareness might have changed how you understood your life or the world around you?

• Think of someone at least 20 years older or younger than you.

  Plot their life stages on the chart above. How does their journey align with the Turnings compared to your own? What stands out about how their experiences, shaped by a different Turning, might differ from yours?
  

Feeling a little tense from everything going up and down and round and round?

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Consider spending 5 minutes with Joni…

and lean into the seasons,

into the turnings,

as they go round and round

and remember it’s a circle game.

The lyrics of “The Circle Game” echo the cyclical nature of generational Turnings.

As Joni Mitchell beautifully captures, while we can’t return to the past, we can look back with understanding.

Click the YouTube link below to immerse yourself in this poignant reminder of life’s patterns.

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1. My description of the Turnings is drawn from the Strauss-Howe Generational Theory, first introduced in the 1990s in their book, Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069 (1991).

This groundbreaking framework was the first major generational theory since Karl Mannheim’s seminal essay, The Problem of Generations (1928). While the Strauss-Howe Generational Theory has gained recognition in recent years, our society is still in the early stages of appreciating the profound insights it offers into historical patterns and human behavior.

For those curious about exploring this theory further, I’ve found Neil Howe’s most recent book to be both comprehensive and incredibly timely—perfect for deepening your understanding of the Turnings.

Howe, Neil. The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us About How and When This Crisis Will End. Simon & Schuster, 2023

Strauss, William and Neil Howe. GENERATIONS The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069. Quill, 1991.

Neil Howe can be found on substack at demographyunplugged.com