Spring’s Invitation ~

Today is March 1st. Spring is upon us in the western Sierras; a quiet thaw after winter’s long rest. There is promise in this season; buds showing themselves, light lingering longer into the evening, the earth warming again. And yet I am exhausted.

Winter gave me rest, but it did not fully replenish me. Instead, it reminded me how much I am carrying: launching The Redeemed Collective, coordinating a team of professionals, stewarding the Empowered Parent Collective for empoweringparentsnetwork.org, and maintaining a full-time job that I enjoy yet now exists to fund what I really love creating. Both collectives launch on March 10th. Spring feels like a starting pistol, and I am still trying to catch my breath.

I just moved to another Airbnb in the Sierra Nevada Mountains; I like this space. I am settling in, allowing the Sierran air to settle into me. I plan to be here until mid-May; maybe longer. I’ve also begun a new diet regimen with the support of a prescription that feels hopeful. I want to rest. True rest. And yet, there is no time to rest if I am to bring these visions into being.

There is a balance to be found here. R.E.S.T.—A Guided Practice for the Tired and Weary speaks directly to what it means to pause when life keeps demanding more. It frames rest as a return to rhythm; not a reward for finishing everything, but a way of reconnecting to what the body already knows. That idea lands for me right now as I try to launch big dreams without abandoning myself in the process.

A second article, How to Take Better Breaks, explains that recovery is not a weakness and that intentional breaks improve focus and long-term performance. It reminds me that the most sustainable work is not powered by panic; it is powered by pacing. I need that reminder as March 10th approaches, with both collectives demanding attention while my body quietly asks for quiet.

Spring invites growth; not frantic growth; not pressured growth. Rather, slow unfolding growth; like wildflowers pushing through thawed earth.

If I’m honest, I don’t just want to survive this season of launching and labor.
I want to bloom.

And perhaps, in time, that will look like both action and rest.

~ julie

If you feel so inclined, please reply with your thoughts.

Note: JM Lane is NOT a mental health professional, nor does she carry a license to practice medicine. Posts, blogs, and content are based on JM Lane’s personal experiences, perceptions, and reflections. By no means does any material convey what others should or should not do.