If you’re anything like me and you live in a climate that has four seasons, you get excited when the spring comes! It is cold and barren in the winter, and the coming of spring signals renewal and rebirth. One of the most common activities associated with the arrival of spring is cleaning…
The spring is the time when you go through your closets and throw out old, unusable things. You may donate the items or simply toss them in the garbage. You wax floors, clean the refrigerator, plant flowers and plants, etc. Whatever ritual you follow, spring is about a fresh start!
The same holds true for relationships. One of my sister-friends had a rough winter. She found herself stuck in a relationship that was not meeting her needs. Luckily, she had sense enough to end the relationship a couple of weeks ago. She is certainly not alone, as many “winter romances” are ending across the country.
“Winter romances” are a common phenomenon. No one wants to be alone on cold winter nights or out searching, so to survive the winter, you settle for something that you know doesn’t cut it. But, these relationships usually don’t make it to the first day of spring.
Over the weekend, my sister-friend and I were talking about her recently ended relationship and the upcoming spring/summer season. We were discussing our plans for work and travel. I told her I was taking the time this spring to shed some baggage and I had no intention of dating anyone seriously.
My sister-friend made the good point of always remaining open (advice I had given her in the past). While I agree that you can never close yourself off to love, I challenged her to take a moment to rediscover who she is when standing alone. Take some time for reflection and spiritual rebirth. That way, when the summer hits, she is fresh and renewed.
I went on to explain that I think it’s very healthy to use the change in seasons for self-reflection and cleansing. For single people (and people in relationships as well), it is a good way to make sure you’re checked into your own spirit for an internal spring-cleaning that I don’t believe can be accomplished within the confines of a new relationship. You have to go it alone!
As my sister-friend pointed out, this was very new-age of me and a bit out of character. As I have gotten older, I’ve learned to embrace these “ohm” moments as necessary to my growth. Particularly, if the ultimate goal is to be in a loving, long-lasting and supportive relationship, the best way to find that is to be able to provide that to someone yourself. You can’t do that if your own spirit needs some work.
So, we have begun the internal work with daily prayer and meditation. We both pray and meditate regularly already, but during this spring season our intention is focused on renewal and rebirth. Even the most evolved people can use a spiritual check-up and cleansing from time to time. We’re also doing activities that stimulate our spirits and bring us joy.
The spring is an opportunity to shed the heaviness of the winter and the wounds of any failed past relationships that you’re carrying around. I challenge you to focus on your own spirit this spring with the goal of finding a new you! The relationship you have with yourself is by far the most important relationship in your life. If that relationship isn’t working, no other relationship will work either. So, cheers to a new season and a new you!