There can be a tendency to get jazzed up around this time of year.
It’s common to start piling up on expectations and lose patience for how fast personal goals are progressing. You might be the person frustrated because of slow-to-show motivation and wondering where everyone else is getting it from. Spring is about growth and the transition between planting and growing isn’t always a smooth one, it’s not always quick, and it probably won’t go as planned.
Right now, we are between being underground gathering nourishment and the popping out of the soil- it’s active, it’s stirring and it could be disturbing and/or extremely exciting. The point is, there’s a lot going on (inside, outside and/or globally) so be conscious of what expectations you’re putting on yourself and try and make them more gentle and easeful.
If you’re not sure where to scale back to or where to start, here’s a list of four spring practices that will ease you in to the season.
#1 BOXES
Put a box out and as you’re moving through the next week and put things in it that you don’t need or want anymore. Have a box near your closet and when you’re picking clothes out for the day you can toss in things you come across that you no longer want. Have one next to your desk for all your papers that are just collecting dust or the pens that don’t work anymore that keep ending up back in the drawer. You can get your kids to try this too! After a week or two it’ll be done! You don’t need to make an entire day out of this practice. Just gently let go of stuff that obviously isn’t something you want or need. When the box is full, bring it to your car and drive around with it for a while- it’ll eventually get to the recycling or second hand shop at some point.
#2 GREENS
Buy some greens and start putting them on and in everything. You don’t have to start
making salads right away- ease in to the season. When you’re making eggs on toast in the
morning- add greens. When you’re making your smoothie- add greens. When you’re making
a rice bowl- add greens. When you’re making your sandwich- add extra greens. When you
order a pizza- add greens! You get the point- everything savory that you eat can most likely
have greens added and even some sweeter things like a smoothie. You can even adventure
out from lettuce to arugula or cilantro or anything else that looks enticing! If it’s green and
leafy- you want it.
#3 REST
You have to make time for quality rest even as the energy around you and in you may be ramping up. The outside stirrings can make it easy to start moving at top speed and end up out of your body where you won’t be able to gauge your energy levels. The season on the West Coast is starting, the weather is inviting, we just sprung the clocks forward and many restrictions have lifted- this is an exciting time. The key to making it through the marathon of spring (and then summer) without a burnout is carving out pockets of rest. Have a nap if that’s been calling your name, make space for a bath, check out the local gentle yoga offerings or find a sun spot in your house and pretend you’re a cat. Don’t make it complicated, just take a conscious breath every now and again to anchor back in to yourself.
#4 EXPRESS
Whatever way you like to express yourself- go for it. Dance, sing, write, sit, have a conversation, yell in to a pillow or tell a joke. However you do it, find a way to express where you’re at right now, where you’ve been this winter and what you want this season to look like. If you’ve been holding off on a tough conversation or wanting to tell someone how you feel- now is a good time for that. Winter can be a time to contemplate and investigate the underbelly- what has come up and what are you ready to say, let go of or express? Don’t overburden yourself by making this elaborate, just go for it. Whatever end of the spectrum you are on- low motivation or extremely inspired or too busy to even think- you will benefit from introducing these four practices. Start with one and add another each week because we’re going east on ourselves, remember?
Happy Spring!
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