It's a very specific feeling that creeps up this time of year, as the last weeks of winter drag on and the snow keeps falling even as our minds turn to spring. I gaze longingly at my snow-covered deck and gardens and wish with every fibre of my being I could be sitting out there with a book or painting furniture in the fresh air, gentle sun on my face. "This is it," I can't help but think, "This may finally be the year that winter actually NEVER ends."

The last stretch is always hard, especially after a particularly harsh winter like this one has been. It's easy to wish this time away, but in fact there are some serious opportunities this season brings with it before spring emerges and life begins to speed up once again. 

why this late-winter window matters more than we think

Psychologically, this season takes a toll on our mood and our spirits can dip when it feels like we're stuck in waiting mode. However, we can re-think this time as being planning mode where we start to envision all the things we want to do weeks and months from now, and build our spring/summer life with intention.

The late winter slump is real, but we can also harness the "stuck in time" energy to not only feel excited and motivated now, but to plan a season ahead that is everything we daydream it will be. Remember: this season is a transition window which can feel agonizingly slow but also contains power to rethink our intentions.

plan your spring reset

Spring is a deeply fresh-feeling time, and beyond spring cleaning it's a chance to rewrite the plan for where we're going and what our goals may be. There are the usual types of goals for career, health, finances and so on, but we can also set soft goals for how we want to feel and how we want to use the free time that is so limited and so precious.

Buy seeds and sketch your garden plans (realistic or not - you can scale back later). Make a seasonal bucket list for each month with all the things you wish you could be doing (and eating!) today. Make yourself a mantra or write a philosophy statement for the upcoming months - what does your best self look like, and what habits or rituals can you start building now to really savour the precious warm months before they slip away?

nourish deeply and get cozy

Soon enough, we'll be planning no-cook meals because it's too damn hot to turn on the oven. There may (maybe?) be a day in summer where you think fondly of the coziness of curling up with a blanket and a good book while snow falls softly outside. It's soup season for a few more weeks, and all the carbs and cookies are welcome to the party. Light candles, write in a journal, go to bed early - before you know it we'll all be complaining about the heat and mosquitoes.

take care of microtasks

I've been quietly obsessed with "microtasks" lately - little jobs that take 5 minutes or less. Whenever you identify a zone that drains your energy, take a few minutes and address it quickly and immediately. Think the chaotic junk drawer or the shoes overflowing the shoe rack, or digital clutter like unsubscribing from emails or deleting unused apps. Once or twice a day force yourself to address one mini task that only takes a few minutes and feels like a breath of fresh air.

A few months down the road, when you're sipping a mojito outdoors in the glow of golden hour, are you going to want to deal with a messy cupboard? Your future self will thank present you for getting ahead of the game.

soft preparation creates bright seasons

We sometimes forget that this slow season of mud, light returning slowly, and the gradual emergence of green things is what spring actually IS. We don't wake up to full blown summer overnight -  nature has a process, and our habits can mirror that process. The roots below the ground are working away and strengthening before they show themselves, and we are not that different.

So enjoy another slice of sourdough or a chance to sit and journal about your spring plans. Before we know it, the light and warmth will be back and we'll be savouring the sweet season that we once dreamed of.