This year, my new year starts now. There was no way I was going to kick off “the new year” back in January when life (and NATURE) were still in quiet mode. Winter is for hibernating, for calmness, for stillness. A pause. I’ve found myself looking to nature and how it acts throughout the seasons, and for ME, THAT makes sense. 

SPRING is THE new beginning. Life is starting to come alive again. 

I think I’ve finally caught on to this cycle I experience every year. We all should know by now that I struggle with winter. (Lightly) questioning my existence in the dreadful darkness and in the MONTH OF LOVE(???) [and my birthday month]. Then we get to the last week of February, March rolls around, and I feel like myself again.

It’s starting to come together. We are all here experiencing life for the first time and making sense of what works best for US. In every aspect of life. 

At the beginning of January, I wrote out a list of things that matter to me, my priorities. Around the Chinese new year, [year of the fire horse btw] I wrote out a list of things I want to do or be before I turn 29 (next February). 

The common themes I found between the two exercises: 

• My passion projects, time + financial freedom
• Spirituality, my mindset + energy
• My village, celebrating my people + building community 

Along with looking at the annual things, I also love to break things up into smaller “bite sized” pieces with the seasons (to fit the theme of nature’s timing), similar to corporate “quarters”. It’s a blend of many things I’ve learned about throughout my education and young adult life so far- school breaks, sports seasons, my choice in working seasonal jobs, and even some habits and goal setting curriculums I’ve learned through over the years. 

With that, here are some WHIMSY SPRING THINGS I’m looking forward to for the next three months:

Adventures:

It’s so important to break away from everyday routines to avoid getting stuck in the recurring loop of our adult lives. I personally dread the lifestyle of waking up, going to work, eating dinner when I get home, to going back to bed to do the same thing all over again every single week. Even if it is something as simple as waking up earlier than normal one morning to watch a sunrise or something bigger that might take a little bit more planning like an excursion to the town down the road for the day or even booking the flights to experience an annual festival that’s been on our radar for OVER a year. 

• San Diego, CA: Belmont in Bloom (annual event)
• Document local farmer’s market dates
• Watch the sun rise
• Visit a botanical garden / butterfly garden
• Watch live music
• Visit an art museum
• Bonfire (s’mores!) with friends

Having activities like this planned throughout the weeks, months, and seasons gives us something to always look forward to outside of our standard daily routines which sometimes are uncontrollable or unavoidable. 

Home:

Our homes are a reflection of how we care about and love ourselves and the immediate people in our lives (close friends + family), the ones we spend a majority of our time with. When I wake up in the morning or walk into my home after a full and busy day, I want to feel inspired, welcomed, held, and comforted. I want life to feel like it’s taken care of and that I’m not playing catch up or get overwhelmed with dread. 

• Decorate Balcony (make it come alive!!)
• Declutter + organize the garage, make it feel welcoming
• Bake lemon poppy seed muffins
• Get a pothos (vining + I have the perfect spot for it)
• Celebrate Ostara (Spring Equinox)
• Host a spring themed gathering

As someone who doesn’t generally have a lot of visitors, I like to put a little extra effort into how I show up for my space and ultimately myself. I’d like to try to bring more of my people into my space too, lightening the energy of it and bringing more life to it with the people and things I love and care about most. 

Create:

Now that life is springing back up again, the creativity is flowing back to me. There are a few crafty things that I’ve reflected on enjoying when I was younger and how nice it would be to make little 8 year old me burst with joy again. Some of my creative ideas are also recurring annual traditions I like to keep up with like my gardening efforts and kitchen recipes too. 

• My gardening prep for 2026
• Decorate interior of car – WHIMSY
• Take a pottery class
• Take a bouquet making class
• Make homemade coffee syrups
• Make flower beaded bracelets / anklets

These little quirky pastime activities are going to be great to tend to when I need a little extra pick me up, inspiration, or even just a little extra dopamine. AND they will inspire me to keep being curious about life too. 

Self Care:

Bubble baths, face masks, and sweet treats aren’t all that self care is. While those things are a nice way to treat yourself, and YES you deserve to be tended to; it’s also so important to get some rituals in place and take care of yourself. Show yourself some LOVE! Because you deserve it. 

• Tattoos on the to do list 😏
• Get a professional lymphatic massage
• Get a professional facial
• Buy a new pair of QUIRKY sunnies 
• Buy a new pair of every day sandals
• Budgeting goals for 2026

Accountability and responsibility are also a part of taking care of yourself too. This past fall, I spent a couple of weeks truthfully exploring my finances, no judgement held over my own head. I cut back on a lot of spending habits, got a majority of expenses on autopay to free up some of the mental load my body was experiencing and holding onto. And now I get to release some of the physical triggers I was experiencing BECAUSE I was honest with myself. 

[ITS OKAY to spend money on yourself too]

To The Season of Beginning Again

I’m excited for life to come alive again. No more waiting for the snow to melt. No more waiting on the temperatures to rise again and the sun to shine longer. Daylight savings is past and I am SO ready to see what this spring and rest of this year have in store for me.