The beginning of this week was Imbolc, which traditionally marks the beginning of spring. I’ve been noticing the days beginning to lengthen and things starting to change on my walks in the park and I’m starting to feel the desire for change in myself. Thinking about getting things in order and what might be possible in the coming months. While one of my current self-care strategies is to try and stay focussed on the present rather than predicting the future, I have started forming a list of the things that are important to me. This is to make sure I don’t forget them once there is a pressure to move towards old ways of being. I know some of them might not be possible for quite some time, but I’m finding writing them down and acknowledging them helps me not to dwell too much on them now.
As my list grows, I’m also learning about what is important to me, what are the activities that bring me joy and how can I incorporate them into my daily life more fully. While a daily visit to the sea is probably not practical in landlocked Cheshire, I will be making more of the opportunities I have to visit. Where in the past I would put off seeing family because I was ‘busy’ I now know that even a snatched weekend is worth it if I get to hug my grandparents. Nowhere on my list is worrying about things that may never happen, or being a perfect housewife, yet I know that these things can often take up my time and energy.
As we move into spring spending some time tending to those hidden wishes and ensuring they have what they need to flourish feels like the right thing to do. Making sure the inner critic and self-sabotage, that often occurs when we try to make positive changes, do not get in the way. To remember that we always have a choice about how we move forward in our lives, even if it is not quite the choice we would like. Being clear on what is important and setting our intentions can help us to stay on the right course, even if we need some help. I know that without the support of previous therapists and supervisors I would have struggled to recognise what was important to me and to prioritise it.
What intentions are you nurturing this spring?
