It hasn’t been an easy start to 2025. I know that can feel like an understatement this year for many reasons. I have seen very few people claiming this as their year; in fact, people seem very tentative in believing that things are going to go well. I’m sure you’ve felt it—the weight of uncertainty, the exhaustion of pushing through, the seemingly unavoidable question of whether things will ever feel lighter again. Winter, both in season and in spirit, has pressed in hard. And when you’ve been in survival mode for so long, the idea of growth might feel like too much. But your brain, your body, and the very biology that sustains you know something important: renewal isn’t forced. It’s invited.
Fortunately, spring isn’t just a change in the weather; it’s a shift in your neurochemistry. As the days grow longer, increased exposure to natural light signals your brain to suppress melatonin—the hormone that keeps you sluggish and seeking rest—and increases serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that regulate mood, motivation, and fascinatingly, the ability to feel hope. You might not feel the full effects right away, but something inside you is adjusting and recalibrating. The heaviness you’ve been carrying? I promise it isn’t permanent.
When life has been difficult, the idea of setting new goals can feel overwhelming. Your nervous system, which has spent months in a heightened state of stress, isn’t looking for a complete overhaul—it’s looking for safety and for signals that it’s okay to move forward. This is where spring’s energy can act as a gentle guide, like bumpers at a bowling alley, just keeping your ball rolling forward. This season doesn’t demand urgency from you. It doesn’t require you to bloom overnight. It simply creates the conditions for growth and trusts that you’ll find your way.
It is important to remember that our brain responds well to small wins, especially when recovering from stress. The dopamine system, which fuels your motivation, isn’t activated by grand gestures but by progress—tiny, tangible steps that reinforce the belief that effort is worth it. I know, it’s not as dramatic as winning the lottery or getting an unexpected promotion, but realistically speaking, these small steps do more than large ones ever could.
We can easily look at lottery statistics: almost a third of lottery winners go bankrupt in under five years, which is more than the average American. Those winners thought that changing their external circumstances could create sustainable shifts in their lives, but most soon proved that was not the case. So, instead of forcing yourself into massive change, start small. Step outside and grab a few minutes of fresh air. Shift one habit that’s been weighing you down. Allow yourself to imagine what growth could look like, even if you’re not ready to act on it just yet. Your nervous system will follow your lead.
If you still feel stuck, move your body. Your brain is wired to respond to physical motion with increased neuroplasticity—the ability to rewire old patterns and create new ones. Walking, stretching, or simply being in nature increases a brain protein essential for learning and emotional resilience. Movement tells your body and mind that you are not trapped.
Spring isn’t asking you to be a new person. It’s reminding you that even in difficulty, you are capable of renewal. Your brain, your body, and the very rhythm of life itself are designed to adapt, to heal, and to find new beginnings. You don’t have to rush. You don’t have to force anything. You just have to trust that the light is returning—and that you, too, can have what has felt heavy begin to grow lighter.
There’s a reason people talk about spring cleaning as more than just tidying up a home. It’s a natural response to the energy changing around you. The hours of sunlight last longer, animals and plant life have babies and start anew, and the sense of possibility can knock lightly at your door. Many of us feel the impulse to refresh, to declutter, or to open a window and let something new in. But this energy isn’t just for dusting shelves or donating old clothes. It’s for you. It’s for your dreams, your habits, your growth.
Spring naturally is the season of beginnings, of sprouting and stretching. You don’t have to have everything figured out because nature doesn’t demand that of you. An acorn doesn’t hesitate because it isn’t sure what kind of tree it will become. It just grows. And so can you.
If winter is a time of stillness, of gathering thoughts, resting in preparation, and feeling deeply all that needs to be changed, then spring is your time to begin to take action. Not recklessly, not hurriedly, but intentionally. Don’t waste time wishing to overhaul your entire life overnight. Just take one small step. Plant one idea. Say yes to something that scares you just enough to feel awakened.
The energy of spring supports movement—literal and figurative. Go outside, breathe in the changing air, feel the earth beneath your feet. Let that motion translate into your goals. Shake off the stagnancy of hesitation and of waiting for the perfect moment. It doesn’t exist. The “perfect moment” is now, not because everything is ready, but because you are receptive to change and expansion.
You get to decide what this season means for you. Maybe it’s a fresh start. Maybe it’s a deepening of something you’ve already begun. Maybe it’s simply permission to believe in your ability to change. Whatever it is, let it bloom. Spring is an ideal time for blooming, as your body and mind respond to spring on a biological level.
Your brain is a pattern-seeking, environment-reactive organ. Throughout winter, shorter days and less sunlight reinforce slowing down and hibernation-like tendencies. But now, as daylight increases, your brain shifts gears. You feel it, don’t you? That itch to move, to clean, to start fresh. It may seem like just another idea created by humans, like the calendar that we use, but in fact, it’s chemistry.
My advice: don’t miss this opportunity with nature as your backdrop, acting like a sherpa for your changes! Use this seasonal surge of dopamine as an optimal time for goal-setting and behavior change. Dopamine thrives on novelty and progress. Your brain doesn’t just want to imagine a fresh start—it wants to experience one. This is why setting a new goal or reviving an old dream feels easier now than it did in the depths of winter. Your brain is primed to seek challenges and pursue rewards, so this is the time to leverage that momentum.
But motivation alone isn’t enough. The key to sustaining growth is working with your nervous system, not against it. Your prefrontal cortex, your busy and benevolent Guru, the part of your brain that leads you to make responsible decisions and heightens your focus, needs small, attainable steps to keep moving forward. Instead of overwhelming yourself with sweeping resolutions, break your goals into modest, manageable actions. Your brain rewards progress, not perfection. Each small success reinforces the neural pathways that make your sustained efforts feel natural rather than forced.
Spring is both a season of external renewal and an internal reset. Your brain is already shifting, already preparing you for expansion. The question isn’t whether you’re ready; in most cases, we are never “ready”. The question is whether you’ll trust the natural rhythms of your own biology. Growth is not something you force. It’s something you allow. And right now, your brain and body are telling you the time is right.
Be like an acorn or a seed in the ground. Open yourself to expansion, and you will be supported by everything from the sunshine to the trees to your own internal Guru. If you want some guidance on your new spring journey, check out my award-winning book, How Big Is Your But, at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXBZDKCD