This year, the first day of spring brought us chilly temperatures, a downfall of snowflakes and an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness—as we thought we had experienced the last of our winter blues. For weeks, spring had technically sprung but all over campus students still bundled up in their winter coats and long boots, wondering if temperatures would ever again reach the 50s.
Spring break had come and passed and now all we had to look forward to was un-layering and being able to walk outside without our fingertips going numb.
Guess who finally got the memo?
Mother Nature.
According to my Snapchat filter, it is a beautiful 68 degrees outside—and it's the first day it actually feels like spring. There's a certain difference in the atmosphere, some overwhelming feeling that wasn't present last week when the skies were murky. Today people are lighter in their step and slower in their pace, as if eager to take in all that is spring.
The mood changes when the weather changes. It's a direct correlation: the nicer it is outside, the brighter the sun—the happier people feel. Spending months under dark skies drains the life out of you, so when the sun peeks out from behind the clouds every spring, inevitably it feels like a time for celebration—and an era for change.
Minimize envy.
Envy is your crowded garage of unvisited boxes and forgotten, useless junk that takes up necessary space. Envy clutters hearts and dirties relationships until there is no more room for real love. Too often we get caught up in comparing ourselves to others, wanting things we don't have and all the while neglecting what we do have. But wanting to live someone else's life is a waste of time—instead, be happy for others' good fortune, as everyone deserves happiness in their life.
Give up your grudges.
Grudges are your old bookshelves that accumulate dust in the too inconvenient-to-clean spaces between antique picture frames and golden plaques. We hold grudges because too much stuff gets in the way and too little dustings are done throughout the year. We get hurt and we spend months harboring the pain, even if the situation had already been put to rest. Releasing this anger will fix weakened relationships and open up opportunities for forgiveness.
Offer an apology.
Unsaid apologies and unsettled arguments are the trash bags of ill-fitted, old clothes that pile up, waiting to be delivered to charity but never seem to make it out the door. Whether you realize it or not, apologies that go unexpressed bring you unnecessary discomfort and take up space internally. Offer a sincere apology and repair any damaged connections you have with others. Lingering misunderstandings need not be dragged into your future, as you have the chance to clear the air today.
Set new goals.
While New Years was certainly a time for resolutions, you don't need statistics to tell you how fast those self-proclaimed promises failed. At this point, four months back was such an eternity ago that those resolutions have long been forgotten. But, with this new season comes a second chance for us to dump the emotional baggage and detox the soul. Set new goals for yourself, and this time around make them happen.
