Next Sunday, the sun will cross over the equator, marking the start of a new season: Spring. The days will get longer, the weather warmer. Flowers will bloom — although, if you’ve been in California, flowers have bloomed since January.
For centuries, the Spring Equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, has represented rebirth, renewal, and regeneration. So, why not take this time to reflect on the changes happening around us, internally and externally, on the micro and macro levels?
Reflect
I don’t know about you, but we always start the new year with a new notebook. We set our intentions and goals and create a practical plan to actualize them. We’ve noticed, however, that everyone seems pretty overwhelmed recently, always ten minutes late, always five tasks behind. And when you are overwhelmed, a notebook is a great place to decompress and reevaluate how you approach your daily life.
Flip through your notes from February and March. How has your writing been? Are the pages disorganized and incoherent? Or, maybe the pages are lovely, but without intention. It’s possible there aren’t any pages at all. Now is the moment to take some time by yourself. Find a sweet coffee shop or garden, and let your notebook be a tool to guide you through this moment of transition.
Reorganize
There are so many different ways to organize your journal, notebook, diary, or whatever you call it. There’s your typical bullet journal, color coding, daily journaling, and everything else under that radiant sun.
Take this time to try different approaches. If bullet journaling didn’t work for you, try stream of consciousness writing, do a quick daily journal, or create your own organizational system. What worked for you last month might not work for you tomorrow.
Write
Now that you’ve done all your reflecting and reorganizing, why not take a moment to write. Stream of consciousness writing is a great place to begin. Give yourself a short prompt — such as renewal or rebirth — and just start writing. Let the words move through you as you avoid self-editing and self-criticism. Empty the chaos in your mind onto the page.
And, if you’re too busy to spend thirty minutes writing, start smaller. Take five minutes every morning to plan out your day. It might not be a comprehensive unpacking of your thoughts and feelings, but it’s a step forward. And forward we are going.
Take in the changes around you and have fun!
