Spring breezes in with all of the anticipated energy of life waking up after a winter of hibernation. The season is connected to optimism, motivation, and a buzz of renewal, but sometimes our mood can take a minute to catch up.

We might expect ourselves to feel lighter with the arrival of longer days and warmer weather, while our bodies and minds still crave winter’s coziness; books, warm meals, time in the comfort of our home. Spring can also bring a subtle pressure to do more, be more productive, and not waste daylight. To return to all of the activities that we said we’d start when the weather gets better (hello, running shoes gathering dust by the door). This lift in energy can increase anxiety, disrupt sleep, and interrupt habits we spent the winter embracing. Transitions are tricky, and they can sneak up on you in unexpected ways. 

If spring tends to catch you off guard emotionally, or seasonal transitions in general feel harder for you than they seem to for others, there are things that can help.

Finding Your Footing in A New Season

When difficult emotions arise, we can make space for them, address them, and set mindful intentions for how to move forward with their presence. If you’re feeling out of sorts this season–for any reason–a gradual approach can make all the difference. 

A good place to start is to simply write down a list of things you might like to try, and rank them by what matters to you most. Pick one or two to begin with, see how they feel, and add others as you find your footing. There is real satisfaction in small, measured progress, and less risk of burning out. 

It also helps to bring others along for the ride. Kids, friends, pets can keep us accountable and make activities more enjoyable, whether it means taking that afternoon walk or just rolling in the grass for a while. And if you’re looking for something fresh to start the season, consider starting small: visit a local farmer’s market, plant a new flower bed, pick a new book to read. The key is to allow yourself to explore things slowly rather than all at once. As yourself: what balance will actually work for me this spring?

Step Outside & Stay A While

While planning and pacing can help you lean into the new season, another powerful tool is presence. Nature-focused mindfulness draws us out of our thoughts and into the world around us, and that shift alone can feel grounding.

Here are a handful of ideas to help you with this:

• Leave the screens and earbuds behind. Allow yourself to be bored. See and hear the world around you, distraction free.
• Tune into your senses. What do you feel, smell, hear, or see? The warm sun on pine needles might smell like a fresh loaf of rosemary bread, or honeysuckles might smell like your grandmother’s perfume. Play a game of nature scent associations, or try identifying a new tree or plant each time you go out. 
• Swap a routine for an outdoor version. Maybe Sunday lunch becomes a hike with a picnic, or a coffee catch-up becomes a walk with a thermos. Catch up with a friend over a walk, together or in parallel. 
• Do one thing at a time, and do it slowly. Watch a bird flutter or a leaf in the breeze. Take time to notice things that tend to pass us by in the usual busyness of day-to-day life.
• Tap into your breathing. Notice the feeling of your inhale and exhale. Maybe the air feels warmer, or smells sweeter. Repeat to yourself: “I am breathing In and I feel myself breathing in; I am breathing out and I feel myself breathing out”

Moving Forward with Intention & Curiosity

As you navigate this changing season, and others down the road, remember that feelings are temporary. Reconnecting with healthy, mindful habits (consistent sleep, nourishing food, daily movement, time with loved ones) creates a foundation that makes every transition easier. 

By moving into spring with intention and curiosity rather than pressure, we can find balance that works, for ourselves and those around us. 

As Mary Oliver writes in The Summer Day: 

“Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”