Spring has a way of gently inviting us to reset—offering a chance to reflect, reset, and realign with what truly matters.
A Spring Reset
In April of this season, I embraced the idea of renewal, both internally and externally. Spring’s promise—growth and gentle change—resonated perfectly with my word of the year: strong. I found out that being strong isn’t only about pushing through; it’s also about being flexible, slowing your pace, and looking at things anew.
In my latest edition of Bytes of Gyaan, I reflected on how easy it is to slide back into old patterns after the energy of a new year fades. April felt like the perfect time to pause; it’s that in-between time, not quite summer, not quite spring. I wrote about taking a gentle pause, noticing where I’d over-committed, and making space to come back to myself. Just noticing that made a big difference. It helped me go from doing to just being, from pushing to pausing.
I got to properly unwind on a brief holiday in Goa. Lush greenery surrounded the resort, with distant hills gently rising in the background. Mornings were slow and peaceful—coffee on the balcony, listening to birds and watching the sunrise. We took a few nature walks on the eco trail to relax and recharge. There was lots of rest, plenty of reading, and even more thinking. The calm and beauty were just what I needed to unwind.
Pulling up weeds and sowing seeds
I came across this quote by Morgan Harper Nichols, and it felt so appropriate for the season of spring –
“Pull up the weeds, rediscover the soil beneath, and sow the seeds of something new.”
There’s such grace in those words. They reminded me that even the tangled parts of life—the busy routines, the thought patterns that no longer serve, the stories we’ve outgrown—can be cleared with care. Underneath it all, there’s good ground. Ground that’s been waiting, patiently, for us to return to it. And from there, we can begin again. Slowly. Thoughtfully. Stronger, not from force, but from intention.
Lent and Easter
This year, I made a special effort to reflect through Lent. Easter felt especially personal. I had been in my own quiet season. Letting go of things. Slowing down. Making space for rest and reflection. The story of Jesus—his death, the long waiting, and the miracle of resurrection—felt like a mirror to the inner work I was doing. Life moves in peaks and valleys. We move through loss, uncertainty, and the quiet ache of not knowing. But even there, something was shifting. Something was growing. Easter reminded me that strength doesn’t always look like striving. Sometimes, it’s simply the courage to stay open, and to begin again.
Finding Grace
The theme that kept surfacing for me all month was being grace-filled and strong. Not strong in the traditional, push-through-everything way—but a strength that makes space for softness, for pauses, for not having it all figured out. In my recent post on Everyday Gyaan, “Finding Grace: Embracing What Is”, I reflected on what it means to hold both grace and grit in the same breath. April reminded me that grace isn’t a fallback—it’s a form of strength. One that allows us to meet each moment as it is, with kindness and quiet resilience.
April in Four Words
As part of this spring reflection, I also looked back at the first quarter of the year. In this blog post, I explored what the first 90 days of 2025 taught me. Taking the time to name those lessons, acknowledge the shifts, and celebrate the small wins helped me see the thread that connected it all.
As I look back on this month, these four words rise to the surface :
Restful. Reflective. Grounding. Renewing.
They hold the essence of what April 2025 brought into my life: a quiet return to myself, gentle rhythms, and the steady unfolding of strength from within.
Spring invited me to return. To notice what was blooming. To honour the slow, steady work that was happening unseen. And to begin again—with intention, with softness, and with strength.
May you find your own version of reset this season—and may it feel just right.
Corinne
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Hi Corinne – so much here that reflects the way I’m trying to live my life too. I’ve recently written about rest, and groundedness was a key part of my WOTY last year (equanimity). I definitely feel drawn towards quiet, peace, and distance from chaos, drama and disruption. I hope the rest of your year leads you further into peace and contentment.
BTW my post next Monday is on having coffee with my younger self – something I remember you writing about a while ago – I added a link to your post at the end. 🙂
The pictures of the wilderness areas around the resort in Goa are simply beautiful, Corinne!
The phrase “We move through loss, uncertainty, and the quiet ache of not knowing” fits my state of mind so aptly…I don’t know if I’m growing into a better person, emotionally and spiritually, Corinne because I experience bouts of sadness and emptyness though I’m experiencing a few moments of quiet now and then.
Thank you for your good blog and nice pictures. Your words about strength really spoke to me. I’ve also felt the need to slow down this season and let go of some things. Your reminder that strength can be soft and grace-filled felt very true. I loved the quote about pulling up weeds and sowing seeds—so hopeful and gentle.
Thank you for sharing your heart. What helped you most to return to a more peaceful rhythm?
Warm greetings from the Netherlands
Aritha
“Restful. Reflective. Grounding. Renewing…”
I think these four words are so powerful, not necessary only during Spring time.
I feel that these words are a sort of art of living!
Have a fine May, Corinne!
I loved how this captured the quiet strength of spring. That gentle pause, the inward turn, the grace in slowing down—it all resonates so deeply. Thank you for the reminder that renewal doesn’t have to be loud.
It is lovely to know you enjoyed your stay at the resort in Goa. We missed going on the eco trail but we have promised ourselves we will visit another time.