Spring is finally here.

Well, the calendar says that spring is here, even if the weather doesn’t always seem so spring-like.

Spring is starting fresh, full of blooms, blossoms and promises. As the dead of winter starts to melt away, the newness of spring rises from it. Spring is one of my favorite seasons. The morning air is still crisp, and the dew droplets hang off of the tulip petals, and aside from the allergies, everything seems right with the world.

It’s as if the world is getting another chance to start over, to start fresh. Sometimes all you need is a breath of fresh air or the warm, gentle sunshine to feel rejuvenated and alive after a long cold spell. Now this cold spell doesn’t always have to be a literal cold spell; it could be anything, a bad relationship, a tough semester, a crappy job, etc.

There’s something about the idea of starting fresh that seems so appealing. Having the chance to start over with a clean slate leads to so many possibilities, some that you have never imagined. Those are the chances that are worth taking. Those are the chances that have the ability to change your whole outlook on life.

I urge you, even if the winter seems so long and brutal, to keep pressing forward. Winter cannot last forever, and spring will always be at the end of it, ready to welcome you with new life and possibilities.

I have always loved new beginnings. Why? Because they hold so much possibility and promise. Because they aren’t predetermined for me, and I can make them whatever I hoped they would be. Sure, new beginnings are sometimes scary, but it’s only because they hold countless unknowns and what ifs. New beginnings require a leap of faith, but in the end, it is worth the risk.

It doesn’t matter how large or small those leaps of faith are, all that matters is you take them. They may not seem all that significant right now, but these small leaps can have a great impact on your life further down the road. Each of the small, seemingly insignificant, leaps will be a piece in the significant new beginning. Without each one of those leaps, you would not be in the same place or be the same person you are today. Make sure each of those choices count.

Stop believing some aspect of your life is wrong; witness the situation with new eyes.

Stop looking for limitations and barriers; anticipate the good things.

Stop accepting “your lot;” remind yourself that anything is possible.

Stop forcing things to happen; trust that everything happens for a reason, and it will all work out.

Stop repeating negative experiences; find the lessons in those experiences.

Stop using the word “should;” replace it with the word “can.”

Stop living on auto-pilot; live in the moment.

When all else fails, remember the words of Barbara Haines Howett, “Just when the caterpillar thought her life was over, she began to fly.”