I lay on the grass in my garden next to the river, soaking up the warm sunshine. Every few minutes Milky (my ever playful doggy companion) would stand over me dripping cold water and dropping a stick on my arm. Fool that I am, I would give in every time and throw it again - knowing full well that it just encourages her to keep doing it!
(Does anyone else have a dog that NEVER gets bored of bringing things back? And why do they ALWAYS wait to shake the water off when they’re right next to you?)
The peace and quiet was amazing
When she did finally give up and flop by my side, the day was magnificent. The birds singing, the blue skies, the vibrant green shoots beginning to appear on the ends of the tree branches. It made me realise how long it’s been since I could really let go and relax and how easy it is to get out of the habit.
I take time each day to turn inwards through my meditation practice but there’s something about spring time that makes it feel easier to relax outside of that time. The lighter mornings and longer light evenings seems to make everything else feel lighter too.
It’s been a long time coming
It feels like surviving this winter was even more of a milestone this year for some reason. I was driving in my car yesterday and I had a giddy sense of release. Like it suddenly dawned on me that we made it. I know that sounds dramatic, but in the depths of winter when it's dark in the mornings when you get up and the daylight seeps away by 4pm it can feel like it will never be any other way.
Not to mention the rain in the UK this year...and yes, how very English of me to talk about the weather.
What can you do to land in the new season with ease?
Landing in Spring can also make you feel disoriented and not prepared. If you’re wondering how you can feel ready for the new season, here’s my 3 top tips for a mindful season change:
1. Embrace the ups and downs One minute it's 22 degrees, and the next it's forecast to snow. That's Spring here in the UK. This is the perfect metaphor for how we can feel at this time of year. One minute you’re feeling like a spring lamb jumping around the field, the next you feel like roadkill and like you’ve been hit by a bus It’s ok. Really. Knowing, and expecting, to feel high and then low and then high again means you won’t be so buffeted by the storms. When we embrace the universal experience of an ever changing flow of emotions, it makes it so much easier to cope with.
2. Rediscover your body In winter, as we layer up in mounds of clothing, we can lose connection with our physical body. Hastily getting dressed in the half darkness, bundling up in wooly hats. gloves and raincoats… It’s no wonder that when we’re suddenly faced with warmer weather, our pale and pasty limbs feel like they belong to someone else! Walking barefoot outside can really help. So take off your shoes and socks and take a stroll in your garden if you have one or at the park if you don’t. Notice the damp coolness under your toes.
Pay attention to the tickling of the grass on your feet. This is a perfect and gentle way to connect back with yourself. Our feet are also generally a pretty neutral part of our body in terms of how we feel about them...which brings me to my third suggestion.
3. Drop the Judgement
This is probably the hardest one of all.
Chances are that as you suddenly get reacquainted with your body, it’s not in quite the same shape as before. Winter for many of us is a time of hibernation (that’s how nature intended it!).
Even with the rebound of January and the drive to get fit and healthy again, it’s easy for things to slip.
So if you feel the creeping shame of not looking how you think you “should”, can you consider a different perspective? However you coped with the last 6 months of winter, whether you Netflix’d and chocolate binged your way through it or not, you made it!
Here you are.
You’re amazing.
You are not your body.
You are not your thoughts.
There’s a unique brilliance and shine that belongs just to you. It’s time to remember who you really are, underneath who you think you should be. How would it be if you could smile to yourself and be grateful for your body and how it keeps you going?
Washed up after a storm
If you’re feeling a bit like you’ve been washed up on the shore after a raging storm, don’t worry. I have the perfect way for you to reset and be ready to go. It's my 21 Day Calm and Clarity Reset - a bite sized journey to clearing the clutter in your mind, building a practical toolkit and feeling able to incorporate sustainable practices into your life.
Even better, it comes for FREE with the Be.Membership subscription, which is just £10 a month (and you can cancel anytime if you take a monthly subscription).
I'd love to help you bounce into Spring! You can find out more and join us here!
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s Party!'" — Robin Williams
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