Changing with the seasons

Spring is here

The arrival of Spring, bringing with it the promise of longer days, means I can start to shrug off my layers, like a babushka doll as I begin to come out of what feels like a long hibernation.  I can now hear birdsong before each dawn and can see daffodils dancing in wind out in the back garden.  These prompt a burst of energy and make me want to shrug off the slump of Winter and start afresh. 

This is a point in time when I can reflect on the plans I made for the new year, these build on much more realistic aims I started last year, rather than on some random resolutions I had to make.  It’s new year, you must make them, but then would discard before January was out.  This year I have set out to refocus on living more sustainably, aiming for greater balance particularly my work-life balance which I find is always affected by the ebb and flow of my consulting work (I work as a consultant in the humanitarian aid sector), which means that my work can range from a few hours a week to a full week with a heavy workload that can stretch over into weekends, and which when quieter, can often leave me feeling wary and reluctant to make the most of it as I can be unclear when my work will pick up again, so I want ensure that I can stretch my income out.  So, I intend to try to embrace these quieter times, to fill them with more productive activities that utilise my existing resources such as starting a nature journal which allows me to practice my love of art by drawing and painting birds and nature, that helps me to observe and notice the little things.  To get out more in nature, by exploring local sites such as the nearby Dalby Forest, run by the forestry commission (for the cost of £5 a visit) and paying a small monthly subscription to the RSPB[1] which gives me free entry to Bempton cliffs.  The binoculars I bought after a couple of visits, I wanted to know that I would really use them, are now also being used for star gazing.

Recapturing lost habits

I will seek to recapture some of the good habits I lost with the onset of COVID-19 and in the busyness of the every day, I will embrace healthy eating, take time to do some decluttering, although not sure that I will ever be a minimalist in the strictest sense of the word, and re-start my efforts to further reduce my carbon footprint.   My aim, to live more simply, seasonally, and sustainably.  So, what does that really mean, to me that means to try to reduce my carbon footprint, by eating more healthily, more seasonally, and buy locally when I can.  Reducing my food waste, by meal planning although reducing the pressure by allowing flexibility and less expectation to rigidly stick to it and now I have access to the ability to compost, I would compost what I could.

I would plan to spend more consciously, spending less and when I do spend, to do so more consciously.  To focus more on buying what I need (the essentials), or which will make a positive impact on my life, such as art supplies and trying to avoid the unnecessary impulse purchases that I can often quickly regret and end up cluttering my space.   This should also enable me to increase my savings.  I want to reduce the amount of plastic I consume as much as is realistically possible, I don’t expect to remove it entirely, but I feel I may be able to do more to reduce my consumption of single use plastics and excessive packaging.  I no longer need 100 different herbs and spices that line up on my counter, bought to make one specific recipe to be used only once or twice, then left to expire, so I will gradually use these up and replace only those I love and will use frequently, and be more cautious when experimenting with new recipes, that I will find a use for more unfamiliar ingredients.  I will start to eat up my cupboard stocks rather than hoarding against some unknown famine I am unlikely to face, a stockpile which has been worsened by shortages during COVID-19. 

I would try to live more simply, increase my fitness, starting with a daily walk motivated by the choice of taking my sister’s dogs for a walk.   In the evening, I would look to move away from automatically turning on the television, as I pack away my computer at the end of the working day.  Instead, I should use the time to pick up a book, to paint or draw or try another other craft, knitting (although I am a real beginner) was my winter craft.

Transitioning my wardrobe
I sorted through my wardrobe the other day, to pack away my winter knits and heavy coats, bring in some more transitional clothes to accommodate slightly warmer temperatures.  I explored a more considered wardrobe for the next month, my planning for this focused on what colours work for me, looking at how I could create outfits from the items I already possess, considering how I spend my day and then figuring out what clothes work practically for each part of my day, for example I have a kneeling desk, so when working at my computer I am wary of wearing smart trousers which could easily become misshapen  and baggy at the knees.  I started by gathering my clothes, sorting through what would work for this transitional period, and what I will store or discard.  Then the remaining clothes I put into piles by colour and type, which I then sorted out based on a rough calculation of what I felt I would need for each activity I tended to make throughout the week, for example, I identified six outfits suitable for work, that I could wear when sitting on my kneeling chair, a couple of smarter outfits for days out, some active wear for hikes or yoga and a couple for lounging in the evening.  While I would not say that I have achieved a capsule wardrobe, this has resulted in providing me with a smaller, more curated wardrobe more suited to how I spend my time.  That should also encourage me to wear more of my clothes, as well as increase the number of times I wear each piece before changing them or putting them into the wash.  I hope that this will help me cut back on shopping for further clothes that are likely to be destined to hang, barely worn in my wardrobe, especially as generally I tend to favour a more minimalist style with monochromatic or tonal outfits in a reduced colour palette.  In selecting how many items I needed I tried to strike a balance between shrinking the number of items that were out in my wardrobe (packing those not needed away) without increasing my need to do laundry.  The result is already evident, my wardrobe feels more manageable,  my clothes work well together so pulling together an outfit each morning is easy, and by being more intentional, I find I am likely to wear my clothes one time more before washing, which both reduces my laundry needs and helps the clothes last longer.  Plus, if I want a change, I have further items packed away that I can bring out as needed.

So, my fridge has become emptier and in turn so has my recycling collection box.  Flowers, daffodils picked from my sister’s garden now spread a cheerful glow on grey and wet days. 

Morning ritual

I now wake a little earlier and instead of reaching for my phone to read the latest news first thing, I now start my day more peacefully taking the time to sit and read an extract from a book on nature e.g., a bird a day, from a diary or exploring a new piece of art (DailyArt app), and planting one more tree on “TreeApp.”  I will aim to write a few lines in my journal each morning, but with no fuss or stress if I miss a day or a week (a non-dated diary or notebook helps remove the pressure). It is calmer, more gentle way to start my morning, and as the days get longer, a little warmer and my energy levels increase I will add an early morning walk, some gentle stretching, tai chi or yoga.

A slower pace to evenings

Evenings may still include television and I still binge watch the odd boxset, but it is not part of daily routine any longer and using my time for other things will become easier as days lengthen. With clearer nights my sister and I have taken the time to step outside and look up at the stars, using recently bought binoculars, and a couple of apps (like Star Walk and Sky Tonight) have helped me to spot new constellations, the other night we identified Jupiter and found “Auriga” (the charioteer). More often now I will sit and read in the evening, with a wood wick candle, crackling and flickering away, and with a vase of hyacinths or daffodils propped in front of the television, their scent a reminder that even if it still dark and colder outside that Spring has come, and with this a shift that makes change feel more possible…

[1] The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charity for the conservation of birds and nature. https://www.rspb.org.uk/