In this blog let’s talk about the transition from the winter season to spring and how the different seasons may affect us. Living in the Northeast when winter embraces us, many of us notice our energy levels seem to decrease, our mood is less upbeat, we find ourselves basically hibernating. Maybe it’s part of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). We often go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. With the shorter days and lack of sunlight (lower amounts of Vitamin D) it’s hard to find the motivation to do things; even our social activities take a backseat. It’s funny, we get through the holiday celebrations with our family and friend with a positive outlook and looking forward to what the new year will bring. We make New year’s Resolution but then, POW…. the dead of winter hits! UGH!!!! So, to beat the dismay of the winter blues, we might plan a mid-winter vacation to help us get through the worst of winter. Some may plan a beach vacation, while others who love the outside may take a trip out west and hit the beautiful slopes. It really doesn’t matter the destination because being away from our everyday life can give us the boost we need. Soon the days seem to be a little longer and a little brighter; the sun seems to be getting higher in the sky. With just these small changes, we notice our mood start to be a bit more upbeat and positive which in turn, we feel more energized.
Although the temperatures are still chilly, we find we can deal with those days better than the beginning of December through January. So, ask yourself this: what’s the difference from the beginning of winter to this Late February time frame? DAYLIGHT! With longer daylight we start thinking about Spring…we start planning things like planting our gardens, whether it be flowers, vegetables, or both. We more likely now feel motivated to start exercising more. With thoughts of Spring we may also start planning our summer vacation but more importantly, we start thinking about ourselves and our well-being and selfcare. We start focusing on the positive things rather than the negative, and we begin to feel renewed.
So, remember with each passing day of winter or darkness, spring is getting closer, and the sun is getting stronger. This brings the feeling of a new beginning, an awakening and transformation. I heard a saying recently and I instantly fell in love with it, “Be where your feet are”. I have to say, when I heard that it made me realize that regardless of what season we are in, or the chaos that is happening around us, we need to allow ourselves to be where we are at to feel and reflect. Acceptance of who we are at any given time in our lives and know that tomorrow is always a brand-new start. We are unlimited!