Coming out of Hibernation

I feel rejuvenated by the semblance of spring that's made it our way this week.  I stop wearing my coat in March whether or not it makes sense (this means that sometimes I am a walking marshmallow from all of my layers), but this week it actually felt right.  The sun was out for most of the week.  Temperatures were in the 30s and 40s during the day.  Birds are coming back. 

I know that I'm a person affected by weather (slightly), but I think I try to ignore it in the dead of winter.  It seems counter-intuitive to me that I wouldn't want to work on "inside" projects when it's awful outside, so I make lofty goals for myself about what I'll write and read, etc.  The truth is that I rarely want to accomplish much of anything.  I think this is the first time I've been able to fully acknowledge this about myself.  Hopefully next year I can set some different, more relaxing, fun goals to coincide with this time.

I was looking at my New Year's goals post and reflecting this morning.  I've done well on a couple goals I set out to try in January:  sending birthday cards and thank you notes promptly, though I have missed my nephew Logan's 5th birthday and need to remedy this soon.  My novel's first draft is nearly complete (I actually hope to finish it today so it is no longer hanging over my head), and we are taking steps to make our house more home-like.  I'm feeling better about my teaching than I was in January.  So baby steps have been made. 

We were having a conversation the other night with friends about how easy it is to get in an "adult rut" of going to work, watching TV, going to bed, and doing it all over again.  J. and I naturally combat this by not having a TV hooked up to cable (though we did move it into a different room so we could watch the Olympics).  I find that I can spend just as much time mindlessly wasting time on the Internet, though, so I'm not sure my habits are all that different than that pattern on my worst days.  J. is really good at pushing himself to do more with his time, and that is one of the best things he does for me as a partner--he pushes me to do the same. 

I'm excited for what the spring has in store.  As I look back over my 2010 goals and think about which ones I'd like to focus on in March, writing still takes the forefront.  I feel like my birthday card habit is up and running, and my teaching is back in a better place.  I haven't done anything with goal #3, automating my money more and giving more to charity.  But I also know that March will be a big month for home improvement, as we tackle our first wall-painting project. 

My new plan of action/goal on this blog/in life is to set aside time to consider these ideas and write five posts per week--one on each of the categories reflected in the title of the blog.  I have a whole slew of ideas, so we'll see if I can follow through this time. 

Is spring doing anything to shift your mental perspective?