Can you believe it’s here already? Spring! That season that is so full of hope. If you live up north you know that Spring really takes its time in coming. This has been one of the most challenging aspects of living up north for me. I grew up in a place where Spring basically came on hard and strong in March (or even February). Now that I’ve lived in the north for awhile I’ve learned to appreciate the very tiniest signs of spring - the daylight hours increasing minute by minute, day by day, the birds slowly returning and chirping their songs, tiny shoots of green sprouting from the ground, bunnies emerging from hiding, tiny buds forming on trees, and the early-comer flowers like the crocus and forsythia.

I’ve learned to savor all these small ways that Spring quietly announces its presence here in Rhode Island. Ever so gently, Spring begins to call me out of my winter slumber. It calls me to look around at the world around me and see it changing daily, and in that call I also hear a call to see myself with fresh perspective, to ask myself in what ways I’m ready to grow.

This year Spring is calling me to get out and move more. This Winter was a somewhat stagnant experience for my body. I’m not beating myself up about that. It happens. Not to use my dog as an excuse, but this Winter brought with it a challenge of seeing my dog through Heartworm treatment, which requires keeping the dog very very calm, quiet, and still for months (basically from November through March for us). Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise me that keeping my dog calm and quiet also translated into keeping my own body pretty calm and quiet.

Of course it’s so easy for that to happen in Winter even without a sick doggy. Winter is an absolutely wonderful excuse to stay indoors, to hibernate, to rest and be still. And don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to rest and be still. In fact it’s my favorite thing to do! But we all need balance, and Spring is giving me some reminders that my body needs to balance out that lovely rest with some equally lovely movement.

Have any ideas for me? How do you get moving in the Spring?

And what is Spring calling you to do?

Are there any Winter habits you’re ready to leave behind?

In what ways is Spring asking you to grow?

Please feel free to share your Spring reflections in the comments. I’d love to know!