March is one of my least favorite months. I am plagued by my seasonal allergies that appear in the South with force this time of year. I end up feeling physically lethargic while my schedule feels progressively energized. The weather is hot, and then it is cold. We dress in layers, removing them bit by bit as the day wears on. It can feel like a 31 day slog.
I am seeking to reframe my March mindset this year. I have been catching my negativity surrounding this month, and want to accept the things that are challenging (my allergies) but not allow that to define my month. My reading list in January and February tends to be reflective in nature, refilling my soul and allowing me to see where I need to pivot or pause. When I bring that reflective energy into March, it doesn’t seem to fit. March is the great awakening from winter hibernation. The azaleas are already blooming, the tulip magnolia has revealed its glory, and the tea olive shrub smells heady. Just yesterday, the Bradford pear trees have bloomed white along my neighborhood streets. I think my soul is awakening as well, needing some outward energy, yet clinging to the inward journey of the year’s first two months. I need to acknowledge this shift.
This is the season of new birth (lambs! chicks!) and to plant seeds, whether literal or metaphorical. We are building our energetic momentum up as we head toward summer. I find it helpful to live in alignment with the seasons and to ask how my inner life can reflect what is happening in nature. It’s a shedding or putting to rest of the dead places, and a reception towards lightness, fun, and newness. This is an invitation to a spring makeover of sorts.
This could be a good time for a brain dump of intentions for this season. This isn’t an overhaul, but to ponder refreshing ideas. It could be a list of ways we want to add new movement, fresh recipes, adding in smoothies, finding a new playlist, a loose plan for deeper house cleaning over time, yard work/gardening, wardrobe/style changes, ways to enjoy our kids, or possible road trips. We can always downsize these ideas. At minimum, make clear what you want to value this Spring.
Spring can be about fresh energy, birthing new creative ideas, and planting seeds of new habits. We enter tentatively, slowly, no need for sweeping change. Just a notebook, some pondering, some small steps into brighter days. For me? I am rolling out my Pilates mat and doing some under-10 minutes routines. Wearing super comfortable blush, coral, or yellow sweatshirts. Adding in green smoothies after a winter of tea. Cleaning up my back porch. I’ve made Spring Break plans. I’m displaying tulips, cyclamen, hyacinth, and muscari bulbs in my home. My menus will begin to reflect more grilled foods and lighter soups.
I know many of you haven’t seen signs of Spring yet. It’s coming. Begin to think how you will refresh your home, health, and habits. Small changes that feel light, healthy, and happy.
From the sunny South,
Aimee