Welcome Spring! Reflections on Hope and Growth
April
Spring is here and I could not be more excited! This season has a hope that feels tangible. Suddenly there are more animals on my walks, more people outside (with a very different energy) and growth and green from plant friends.
As a highly sensitive person, I am keenly aware of transitions and transitions of seasons are no exception. I notice nuance and change in detail, making seasonal transitions an impactful time and one that I like to pause and notice with intention. I can feel the energy of spring and think deeply about the lessons each season holds as one of the ways I transition into this new season. For me, spring comes down to two main reflections: the presence of hope and the beauty of growth.
The Presence of Hope
In the depths of Winter- in the dark, in the cold- it can feel pretty bleak and shockingly permanent, despite intellectual awareness that Spring will at some point return. Those early days of Spring can be exciting because it’s when we see the first evidence that we’re coming into a season of more life, warmth, ease.
One of my favourite activities to do in the Spring is to take a “Hope Walk”. This is a simple practice that is exactly what it sounds like- to take a mindful walk with noticing hope as your intention! That can mean different things for different people. It can be a beautiful experience to hold the intention of “hope” on a walk that you perhaps go on all the time and see what you notice differently. See what emerges with new focus. What nature has to share and offer.
For me, these are some mindful pieces of hope I often notice in Spring:
Robins returning
Grass coming back to life and turning a deeper shape of green
Tiny buds
Plants pushing through soil
Ice thawing
Outdoor community events taking place
Pollinators working
Hope might look absolutely different in your landscape or based on what you find meaning in. It might not even be what you expected. Also, if a walk is not accessible, this activity can alternatively be done through looking out a window mindfully.
The Beauty of Growth
Spring is all about growth! All about noticing that what we plant and tend to can flourish. Noticing that the wait is worth it. Noticing that it can feel like there’s no growth happening at all, and suddenly we’re surrounded by green.
Taking inspiration from the cycles of nature can be a valuable tool. I like to partner with that energy and think about my own growth this time of year. I find it can be especially impactful to take growth reflection into nature and think about some of these questions while surrounded by other life going through growth too. Here’s a few of my favourite Spring prompts:
What do I need to put attention into planting and tending to right now?
What is budding in my life right now that I want to celebrate and notice, even if it’s subtle?
Who can I turn to during the pain and exhaustion of growing? Who helps me feel seen and heard during the times of “showers” and celebrates me in times of “flowers”?
What needs to be pruned in this season? What is taking energy from what needs it most?
Happy Spring Sensitive Souls! I hope you take time to reflect on what Spring holds for you and find ways to transition into this new time of year in ways that feel authentic and meaningful to you.
