Spring has arrived, and you may be experiencing more energy, different feelings, or a new sense of openness in your life. In these three journal prompts for spring, we turn to the natural world for questions to ask ourselves. We invite you to respond to these prompts through writing or through art making–use words, doodles, or any medium of your choosing to engage with your inner self as you emerge fully from winter. 

REVIVE YOURSELF

Animals who hibernate through the winter do not arrive in spring feeling well-rested. Instead, they’re hungry. If you experienced a period of slower functioning through the winter, be gentle with yourself as you ease into the warmer months. Hibernation is key for surviving hard times, but it’s not easy. Write a list or make art about things you would like to take in that would revive you. Think about experiences, places, foods, connections. How can you restore yourself? What will make you feel nourished and alive? 

CHECK YOUR EXPECTATIONS 

The first day of spring was a month ago, but if you’re living where we are near Washington, DC, it’s still not consistently warm outside. Flowers blossomed on the trees while coats stayed on our bodies. For many of us, early spring is a time of dashed expectations—we are so tired of winter and ready for the warmth that we forget it will feel cold for a while longer. A short stretch of warm days will have us packing up our winter clothing, only to dig it back out again as the cold returns. We are future-thinking creatures. What other timelines of expectations are unspooling in your life right now? What is demanding your patience these days? Create a piece of art or a sketch of the expected timeline, then consider how you might endure an extra period of “cold,” so to speak. 

CONSIDER THE FLOCK

In spring in Denmark, European starlings murmurate, creating a giant swirling swarm that looks like a cloud. Scientists think that moving together in this way helps protect the birds, confusing predators who may go after the individual, but are fearful of creatures in such great numbers, moving like a wave of smoke. Journal prompts are often individually introspective, but as we look to spring, consider the collective. When, in your life, have you been part of a group or team that made you feel safe? When have you been part of a group  that created something beautiful or powerful together? Is this present in your life today? If not, what needs to change or begin? 

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