A spring vision board
Things I will be doing, consuming and exploring as we come out of hibernation mode!
I am writing this on the first day of March—my favorite month of the year. Many things are happening this month: Pisces season, my birthday 😋 , Daylight Savings, and Spring... oh, we can feel you in the air. I always say that Spring is the true new year. It’s a time when my mind and body finally have the capacity to start new projects and embark on new adventures. Winter is not the time for this. Winter is for looking inwards, conserving the little energy we have, while Spring is for slowly coming out of our cocoons and flourishing.
These are the things I am looking forward to during my favorite season. A vision board or maybe a manifesto, to remind myself of how I want to feel during the next few months.
Reading fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, poetry, design and fashion-related books, children's books, and comics. For the first half of my mid-20s, I read more self-help books than I can even remember. I think I am ready to step into a new stage in my life where I allow myself to read for the sake of having fun. I want to imagine new worlds, daydream, and let these new stories inform my day-to-day life. I want to have more fun and take things less seriously. What we consume plays a huge role in how we see the world, so it is time for me to focus my energy on reading materials that feed this desire.
Volunteering in my community: I want to spend my energy contributing to my community, and I’ve been thinking about the causes I’d like to support this year. Our local food bank and the library are places I feel called to contribute to this year.
Cooking with new ingredients: My local farmers' market is back this Spring, and I am literally counting the days until I can spend my Saturday mornings walking around and discovering new ingredients to incorporate into our kitchen. I am VERY ready to switch the base ingredients we’ve been cooking with during the winter. According to my Internet research, here’s what’s in season in British Columbia during Spring:
March — Cabbage, Carrots, Chard, Cucumbers, Hardy Greens, Onions, Peppers, Potatoes, Shallots, Sunchokes, and Tomatoes.
April — Asparagus, Beets, Bok Choy, Cauliflower, Chard, Fennel, Garlic, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Potatoes, Rutabagas, and Spinach.
May — Beans, Chard, Green Onions, Kale, Leeks, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, and Turnips.
Still Life with Soup Pot, Fernando Botero Micro-traveling: I am looking forward to traveling more around the province of British Columbia here in Canada (with the exception of an upcoming trip to LA for my birthday). We plan to visit new cities to find a place where we can live in the future and hopefully own a home one day (a girl can dream). We are privileged to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. The Pacific Northwest has so many gems that I can’t wait to see. Salt Spring, Galiano Island, and Tofino are at the top of my list for this year!
Moving my body: With more sun and warmer temperatures, my body naturally feels called to spend more time outside, walking or biking. Last year, I ran a half marathon for the first time, and although I don’t think I’ll do it again soon, I do want to get back into running a few times a week because my body loves the feeling after a good run.
Spending more time in silence: As we emerge from hibernation mode, I want to be mindful of giving myself time to adjust to this new rhythm of life. This includes going on walks without headphones or my phone and eating my meals without watching a show. We live with constant noise, and our nervous system deserves a break!
Intentional gatherings: While I want to embrace silence this season, I’m also excited to meet my friends more often or host them for intentional plans like puzzle nights, drawing dates, or picnics at the park.
Wearing more color, prints, and textures: This is probably one of the things that excites me the most about Spring. I am eager to wear florals and polka dots. And since I don’t have to wear a hat to protect myself from the cold anymore, I am excited to wear all my new hair accessories too, now that I have long hair.
I broke up with Spotify 💔 after more than 10 years with my subscription, I decided to cancel my family plan to explore other options. Mainly, I am tired of streaming and subscription services owned by the same white men. For my birthday my partner got me a vinyl player and I am learning to enjoy music in a new way. Building my physical collection of records will take time, so I do plan on subscribing to a new music streaming platform, but I am not sure which one yet. In the meantime, I have the Evermore vinyl that my friend got me for my birthday repeating nonstop (yes, I was very spoiled this year!!!!!).
I made a promise this year: I will not buy new books until I read all the ones I already own. I have around 25 books on my bookshelf that I haven’t read. This is an exercise of 1) consuming what I already have at home to make space for new stories and 2) challenging myself to read more, which will help me to be a better writer. You need to read as much as you write. In January, I read only one book. In February, I read five and I am planning to read seven in March. Let’s see if I finish all of them by the end of the Spring so that I can start reading new titles! Please let me know in the comments what you are reading this season! I am currently reading Women Who Run with the Wolves and A General Theory of Love.
Books that keep coming on my feed that I want to read this summer In case you missed it:
Looove this v inspiring. Also so delighted it’s spring which somehow manages to feel like a nice surprise every year <3 how are you finding life without spotify?
I would like to hear more about your summer plans! Is any specific reason why you chosen those islands?