Spring Growth and Renewal Is Not Just for Nature

The winter months are officially behind us, and SPRING has sprung.  All fussy springtime snowstorms or unseasonable heat waves aside, spring was made official on Monday.  We are always happy for spring’s arrival for so many reasons; the budding trees, the greening grass, and the slowly warming weather are so wonderful.  But what we really love is the spirit of renewal and growth that comes with spring. 

 

If you take a minute to look around and notice the transformation happening around you, you can’t help but be in awe.  In fact, we think that nature can be a really great source of inspiration for your own springtime renewal and growth.  Let’s take some cues from nature, and see how we can SPRING into action. 

1. New blossoms and buds.  See that tree over there?  Right now it’s churning with its efforts to create new leaves and longer branches.  What we see on the surface is only a fraction of the miracle that’s happening inside.  We can be like that, too – constantly planning new ways to grow and produce, and our heads always churning with new life and ideas. 
    
2. Winter coats, buh-bye.  We should do as well as the animals shedding their thick fur coats.  They’ve got the right idea – why carry around what will only make you hot, confined, and uncomfortable during the summer?  Maybe your extra is a few pounds of your own “winter coat” that need to be shed through exercise and healthier eating.  Or perhaps your extra involves a relationship that needs to be gently released.  Your extra could even be a bad habit that’s been weighing you down.  Examine what’s been feeling heavy and unnecessary, and consider whether it’s something you can shed this spring.
    
3. Speaking of animals . . . they’re waking up.  Similar to the bear that’s been out of commission for a few months, maybe you have some waking up to do.  Like maybe you can stand to wake up to gratitude about being so blessed.  Or maybe you can wake up to the fact that it’s time for a change.  Or, in a more literal sense, perhaps it would be good for you to wake up a little earlier each morning.  Starting the day with some quiet time for prayer, meditation, or soul-nourishing reading could be a game-changer with how you feel for the rest of the day.
    
4. Babies abound (awwwww).  Many animals have mating cycles that bring about an influx of new births around this time of year.  Babies – be they human, bird, or mammal – have a way of making us want to be a little gentler, speak a little more softly, and smile a little more.  And, really, who in our lives wouldn’t benefit from us adopting those habits on more permanent basis?
    
5. And then there’s the rain.  Nature just knows that come this time of year, some additional moisture is in order.  How else to feed and fuel all of the new life waking up and developing?  And as for you – how’s your own water intake?  Without proper hydration, your brain function, energy level, immune system, digestive system, and temperature regulation all suffer.  Knock back a few extra glasses every day to keep you properly fueled and performing at your best.