18 days. Just 18 more days until spring. I think I can make it.

I live in the Midwest. Aside from the cold and snowy weather, it’s just plain ugly here in the winter. Just gross. Everything is gray and dismal. It’s really just a total bummer.

Having lived here all my life, I get really excited about springtime. Without fail, I start getting really pumped right around now. I know that warmer days are around the corner. But it’s not just that. It’s also the longer days, more sunshine, and the arrival of color! We will finally get away from the dingy gray that we’ve had since November.

Springtime to me always feels like renewal and rebirth. Plants and trees that have been dormant since last fall finally come back to life. In a couple of weeks, I’ll spot the first sprouts of flowers. This always brings a smile to my face, and a little sunshine to my life. Like the foliage, I’ve been hibernating all winter long and I’m more than ready to spend more time outside.

“That is one good thing about this world…there are always sure to be more springs.” — L.M. Montgomery

For me, life really is all about the small things. This change of seasons, from winter to spring, always leaves me feeling hopeful and reenergized. No matter what is going on in my life, this time of year seems to lighten me up a little bit. It gets me excited to shed things that are weighing me down, especially the layers of winter clothes.

What does springtime inspire in you? What are some things you’ve been wanting to change but just needed a little push? Maybe using the arrival of a brand-new season, full of sunshine and promise, will give you that motivation you’ve been looking for.