Written By: Kate Clark, from Nourishing Minds Nutrition and The Rooted Place

Hey babe. Do you feel that?

Do you feel that s h i f t that the end of March and the beginning of April brings with it?

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, are you at least enjoying this extra sunlight?!

This happens every year but we don’t always take notice of it in our bodies. We don’t always take the time to shift with it.

I want to challenge you this is the week you set aside a few minutes to take some inventory. Spend some time noticing what’s going on outside of you. When we intentionally come back to nature, we come back to ourselves.

Because darling, you are nature.

This sounds soooo cute and fluffy, but it’s also very real, so stay with me.

Let’s shed the winter coat energy, shall we?

Follow these fun and adaptable steps, and feel free to shake up the order or toss some.

Clean something out

Oh, I know you’ve got a junk drawer that would love some attention. Or, maybe you can finally take that bag of clothes that’s been sitting in your car to the thrift store. And let’s not forget about the classic closet clean-out! Just think of that exhale that is waiting for you after all of your tops are color-coordinated… or even just like, on a proper hanger.

Pick one or create your own version for making space by physically letting go of some things.

Release some physical energy

Shake, dance, twist it out! Whatever form of movement you’re feeling, do it with the intention of wiggling out those winter melancholies. Option to add a few twists into your yoga flow or movement. Think of gently “wringing” out the winter with the strength of your core and your exhales.

Shed your winter coat

Gently exfoliating your body with the intention of washing off your winter funk is so powerful! This is my go-to practice for ANY time I’ve got the “ick” from a weird day. It changes my entire mood. If you’re into burning sage, Palo Santo, or any other sacred material, this would work beautifully here, too.

Get outside

The easiest way to connect with the seasons is probably to be outside, right? The key is to make some sort of direct contact with the earth if that’s available and safe for you. Really think about where you are in space, bring in the thoughts of the new season, notice what that feels like in your body, pay attention to the thoughts that pass. Option to do this while you’re finding some movement, or maybe just in stillness.

Do you feel the undertone of release within each of these? This is the feeling we’re going for!

Releasing the weight of your wintering will allow you to open up and step into the intentions and ideas you’ve been nurturing throughout the winter. Winter acts as our safe place to plan and Spring acts as that burst of energy we need to live them out.

This brings me to my last suggestion for this transition:

Journaling

Yes, I have talked about journaling in every blog post I’ve ever written and no, I will not stop. Journaling after you engage in one of those cleansing* activities above (note* note one of them involves cold-pressed juice!) is the perfect way to support your transition into this new season.

Some journal prompts:

What is something I want to leave with winter?

What can I release to make more room in my heart or my mind?

What will I be filling all of this new space with?

Take what you need from this post. May you find ease within your transition and flood yourself with grace this spring.