Saying Yes with Intention: Honoring Your Energy This Spring

Jewels Tauzin, Advanced Clincial Fellow

As we dethaw from winter, a season of introspection and forward fold in yoga, and enter Spring– a season of blooming and going back into the world, we may find ourselves wanting to say yes to more things than we did in the winter. After all, it’s warm outside, the flowers are blooming, and being around others feels like much needed sunlight on our backs.

However, in recent sessions with clients an overarching theme has been the desire to go back out into the world coupled with the overwhelm of a full social calendar and an influx of energies back into our lives. If you ever find yourself saying yes to a whole host of things but then the day of realizing that you’d rather stay home, here are a few techniques to implement when you’re presented with future plans but aren’t sure yet what your calendar looks like or if you want to go.

1. Be honest

When invited to something, responding with curiosity rather than commitment can slow us down and give us space to think about whether we want to go. Instead of jumping to an immediate yes, simply practicing being honest can free up a lot of space. Saying something like, “I’m not sure yet, I need to look at my calendar for that week. Can I let you know by Friday?” can give you space to check in with how you actually feel when the time comes, rather than forcing your future self into something your present self isn’t sure about.

2. Build in buffer time.

If your calendar is starting to fill up, intentionally leave pockets of unscheduled space. These moments are your exhale. They make the social yeses feel more sustainable and give your nervous system time to settle between engagements. Seeing a blank space can often feel like an immediate invitation to fill it, but time with ourselves is just as important as the time and space we give others. 

3. Get clear on your “why.”

Before saying yes, pause and ask yourself: “Am I doing this out of joy or obligation?” Moving into spring doesn’t mean abandoning the self-knowledge winter gave you. Let your yeses come from alignment, not pressure.