Spring, change and re-starts

Photo by Arno Smit on Unsplash

Who wants to talk about spring?

I do! It seems like the more transitions to spring I experience the more intense I experience the changing of the seasons. In my twenties, I didn’t pay much attention to the return of the birds, now I sit and watch the crows and the magpie provoke each other through my living room window. I check daily for the first shoots of the hosta plant, waiting for their variegated leaves to unfold. Our two bunnies can tell it is spring, too. They love munching on the new growth of grass and make these fantastic jumps for joy.  

This spring brings quite a bit of change for me, beyond warmer temperatures and a return to the garden. I recently completed a six-month full-time certification as a Sustainability Coach and Consultant. I granted myself a hiatus from this newsletter to focus on classes culminating in a final written case study and oral exam. And now I am back with lots to share, building on the idea that we all have abilities, competencies, and skills we can further develop and use to bring about sustainable change.

I went into those six months knowing that some of my routines would change, my energy level might be zapped at the end of the day, my free time would be limited. Knowing it was temporary, I re-prioritized and let go of the idea of writing this newsletter regularly, paused some volunteering work and, despite the excitement about my summer swimming habit, had to give up swimming temporarily. At the same time, I made sure I got out regularly to walk or jog, expanded my network of co-learners and trainers while studying (I met some amazing people), and wrote over 70 pages for my case study (I have never written that much)! The ah-ha moments, the realization that I already knew a whole darn lot, and the ability to build on that made it all worth it.

And now change is in the air, coinciding with spring. I have a new job working for a provider of intercultural training. I get to put into practice what I have learned in my new volunteer capacity as sustainability officer for our local sports club. I am even getting back to the swimming pool now that it fits in my schedule. As I adjust my habits, I ask “why do I do X or Y?”. If the answer makes my heart flutter (i.e. butterflies in my stomach), I know I am on to something that is meaningful to me, where I can focus my energy on things I am good at and love doing. This keeps me going. This is leading myself through change and doing it positively. This is sustainability, “sustainable me.”

Stay tuned as I reflect and write more. What Sustain-Ability topics tugging at you? Share in the comments.