So, it’s Spring, and You’re Feeling Stressed? You’re not alone.

By: Susan Vitale

Ever notice how the feelings of stress and anxiety seem to blossom in the springtime? There are plenty of explanations for the spring-time jitters replacing the winter-blues. Some are obvious, and some lie deep in the dark, fertile, snow-covered soil, just waiting to poke out and be seen.

Spring is a time to begin action after a period of hibernation. For many of us, whether we know it or not, winter is a time of reflection, of quiet, of staying inside our homes and going inside ourselves. It is an essential period to store up energy in preparation for the excitement and renewed passion of spring. Maybe, if you’re like me, you’re inclined to sit on the couch a bit more in the winter, saying no to invitations in favor of quiet nights at home. Or maybe winter means putting on a few pounds under your mercifully bulky sweater, as you take comfort in favorite foods and savor the sedentary nature of the season. With weather warming, however, our creative juices begin to flow like streams with freshly thawed snow. The springtide beckons us to get up and move, and to put into play the dreams, hopes, and ideas that germinated throughout the colder months. Like bears waking from our slumber or birds flocking northward, we get busy doing what’s needed, obliging duty’s unmistakable call. Whether our energy this time of year rallies around saving money, or paying taxes, or getting in shape for swimsuit season, or starting a new outdoor project, we are likely to feel a greater impatience that commands a reckoning with the idleness of winter. Many people find it harder to sleep in the springtime. As we begin to entertain the invitation to action, we wake at night with both fears and possibilities marching across our brains like so many ants preparing for the busy season. Sure, we can blame our insomnia on the time change, earlier appearance of the morning sun, boisterous birds, or even allergy-provoking blooms. We can also acknowledge that, like Mother-Nature’s wakefulness during this season of exponential growth, we are experiencing a burgeoning of both hope and worry as we look ahead at the vernal season, a harbinger of new realities and new possibilities.

Spring is a time of momentous change. In the winter, a glance at our weather apps typically shows day after day of steadily cold temps or rain showers or flurries predicted 5 out of 7. A look out the window often reveals a consistently grey sky, brown landscape, or a blanket of snow. Meanwhile, perhaps more than any season, springtime heralds day-to-day progress and transition. Snow and ice recede daily, revealing the withered and brittle remains of a long-forgotten autumn. With spring’s thaw, frozen lakes begin to crackle and shift, and mountain streams to flow. Flowers and buds bravely open, bringing new color and optimism to every day. If we think about it, the same rate of change is present in many of our lives this time of year. Whether we’re graduating or getting married, making the transition from school days to summer fun, or planning for personal events while wrapping up professional commitments, we seem to pack spring with all the potential stressors and life-changing happenings we can. Our April, May, and June social calendars likely display just as much activity and busyness as a look at the changing landscape outside our windows. It sometimes feels like taking on the demands of springtime asks of us the same courage and power a tiny daffodil needs to sprout through the still frozen soil.

“Spring Cleaning” is more than a cliché. Just as spring gardens and lawns require care, so do our lives this time of year. For blossoms to flourish and lawns to turn green, they need rain and fertilizer. So, too, our active bodies crave healthy foods and ample water. Weeding and pruning our plants make way for fresh new growth. In much the same way, our busy minds deserve tending to sort the most valuable actions and the greatest possibilities from the rest of the chatter. Just as the conscious clearing away of debris are part of Mother Nature’s work this time of year, our busy schedules benefit from a tidying and elimination of the demands that do not serve our growth and forward momentum. Spring maintenance allows us to refine our habits, reclaim our schedules, and reframe our thinking.

So, if you’re experiencing a heightened sense of stress in spring, know that you’re not alone. The restlessness that comes with possibility and new beginnings is all around you. Make time for rest and sustenance that prepare your body and your mind for this busy season. Take stock of what’s possible and what’s calling to you, making intentional vs default choices about how to best use your precious time and energy. Spring expresses itself with grace, beauty, and courage. You can do the same. During the excitement of it all, don’t forget to pause long enough to smell the flowers.

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