The Spring Equinox
Last year, around December/January, I was feeling particularly burnt out and fatigued. I was under pressure to find a new assignment for work, my boyfriend and I was in our second year of long distance and traveling a lot, and the winter just felt particularly dark and gloomy. (Not that Swedish winters are known to be bright and cheerful, but still, it hit me harder than usual last year.)
Here are some drawings from that time period:
“New year, new you!”
And as we all know, when the new year starts approaching, the usual messages start showing up: ”Start the new year strong!” ”Get a gym card!” ”Stop smoking!” ”Start reflecting on all the things you could improve!” ”Change everything you don’t like about yourself and do it right now!”
”New Year, new you!” - ugh, barf!
Basically, when we are in the deepest, darkest, lowest energy period of the entire year - we’re told that this is the time when we should start new things. Really dig deep and start changing our behavior. Get to action!
We’ve got it all backwards
And last year I just kinda stopped and started thinking about it. Really thinking about it, and how backwards it all felt. Shouldn’t the time for change and starting new things be when we there’s energy around us? When we’re surrounded with light and new life? When the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the flowers are budding?
Shouldn’t the time for new beginnings NOT be in the deepest darkest winter, but instead in the spring. When literally the entire world around is coming out of hibernation and is starting to creating new life again. Isn’t this the time - if any! - to do the things that require energy, focus and change!
Spring feelings
I say yes. So last year I started a thought experiment for myself. Thinking that instead of the beginning of the year being the (symbolic) starting point for new things, new promises, new beginnings. Maybe the Spring Equinox should be that date for me instead. When days start being longer than nights and the sun starts saying hello in the mornings again - shouldn’t that be the time when I lean into new things?
Again I say yes! And in three days it’s here again - the Spring Equinox (or vårdagjämning in Swedish) of 2025! And I already feel the energy starting to buzz in me. I’ve been getting out on more walks again. I’ve been hanging out with friends and family more. And I’ve been drawing so much for the last couple of weeks!
I’m not sure that I’ll actually do something on Thursday to celebrate the Spring Equinox. But I still want to stop and acknowledge that it’s here. And reflect on how I feel in myself and in the world right now, compared to how I tend to feel in the darkest of December.
And even though not a lot has changed in my life these past three months - there is definitely a different vibe to my relationship with the world now compared to then.
Things feel brighter.
Lighter.
More possible.
