Spring has just arrived. And no matter what is going on in your life, you can’t help but be affected by this change in the season. We are a part of nature and something stirs in us at this time of year. It’s a time of transition.

It’s always helpful to set intentions at times of change—and even if your life is on an even keel at the moment, with the coming of a different season you can participate in what’s happening in nature, and so align yourself with greater forces.

You might want to do this out of doors, in a place you pass by on a regular basis. Maybe you live in the countryside, or there is a park nearby if you live in a city. Even if there is no park, you can undoubtedly find a tree, or a place where some greenery is emerging.

Notice how the air feels, how the sky looks, what kinds of sounds you hear. Then notice your inner sensations.

I always feel a sense of excitement in spring, that can even be a bit uncomfortable. It’s as though life is calling me to wake up further. All winter I’ve been in a certain state of mind, but now, something new is happening. How can I use this energy to become more aware and motivated?

Spring is a time that brings into our consciousness the renewed realization that life always continues–even if we feel at a standstill, even if we feel we are getting older and that fewer opportunities await us. Nature knows nothing of this. It goes in cycles, and so do we. This time of year is a chance to begin again.

When you can, take a notebook and write a paragraph or two about what you would like to welcome into your life at this time. What are your current challenges and what are your strengths? What do you need to let go of in order to welcome the new?

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.”
—Lao Tzu

“The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.” —Harriet Ann Jacobs