Why Do We Associate Spring With “Fresh Starts”?

Spring is here, at least in some parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Outside my window this week, I’ve seen small buds on the trees burst into tiny leaves that are now sprouting small pinkish shoots at their bases. Each day, it seems like there’s a different transformation happening before my eyes.

Spring has long been associated with starting over and beginning anew, which makes sense, as during this season—at least in climates that experience four distinct seasons—the Earth is quite literally reborn. During this time of year, long-barren trees become green again. The sun suddenly feels warm upon our skin, daffodils spring up from the young grasses, and many people find themselves heading outdoors into a pleasurable climate for the first time in months. 

It’s not hard to see why this season is often associated with fresh starts—though the reasons spring is linked to new beginnings are rooted in ancestry, tradition, and physiology.

Why Spring Is a Time of New Beginnings

Firstly, there’s generally simply much more sunlight during this time of year, which can have major effects on a biological level. Reduced sunlight can be a major contributor to seasonal affective disorder, which can lead to reduced levels of serotonin—a chemical that can have a major impact on our mood. A lack of serotonin can cause us to retreat inward and sometimes, to feel a bit gloomy, and winter may also trigger higher levels of melatonin, a chemical that makes us a bit drowsy, so it makes sense that many of us feel a burst of new energy in the spring.

In general, a lack of sunlight and cold temperatures tend to signal to our bodies that it’s time to retreat from the world. “The darkness, the cold—all these things signal to your body that it's time for safety,” neuroscientist Ramses Alcaide, PhD, told Real Simple. Yet spring’s arrival can let our bodies know that it’s time for a  “fresh start,” he said, allowing us the opportunity to commit to new habits and to sweep away any dust and doldrums we might have collected in the winter.

Because of this, spring may actually be a more optimal time to make resolutions and commit to new habits than January 1, when many of us make New Year's resolutions—which famously frequently get abandoned before the calendar hits February. 

Spring Traditions Around the World

In pre-industrial societies of the past—and for anyone who still lives off the land and depends directly on nature for survival—spring quite literally meant the arrival of new life-giving food sources. Oftentimes, families would be huddled together indoors and surviving on the very last stores of their winter reserves at the end of winter. But spring meant the birth of new lambs and vegetation, not to mention the return of the sun and the end of life-threateningly cold temperatures.

Many traditions around the world have different ways of honoring spring's life-giving arrival. The spring equinox has been celebrated as a time of new beginnings and rebirth by cultures all around the world for millennia, even in places that don’t experience four distinct seasons. In Japan, Shinbun no Hi is a celebration of spring’s arrival that is typically honored with visits to family gravesites; people sometimes clean the stones and leave offerings to usher their loved ones into the next life. Many people also celebrate this time with picnics under the trees.

In India, Holi is celebrated near the spring equinox and is a colorful celebration of fertility, love, and the arrival of spring. Thailand also celebrates a holiday called Songkran, typically with a massive water fight that takes place in the streets and symbolizes washing away any bad luck that may have accumulated in the past year. Many countries with Persian influences celebrate Nowruz, a holiday held on the spring equinox that sometimes includes intense spring cleaning and fire-based rituals such as jumping over bonfires, which is said to mark a process of cleansing and rebirth.

Today, many pagans celebrate the holiday Ostara, a holiday that honors a Germanic goddess named Eostre who may or may not have existed, but is said to symbolize fertility and rebirth. All these holidays and traditions showcase how deeply rooted spring’s associations with new beginnings and fresh starts is in cultures across the world.

How to Harness the Energy of Spring

Spring is the perfect time to clean your home and get organized—a practice also known as spring cleaning. It’s also a good time to start new habits, begin healthy routines, embrace new experiences, and nurture relationships. 

In order to best utilize the energy of this season, it’s a great idea to go outside and actually feel the sunlight and breathe in the fresh air. Spending time in nature can have innumerable health benefits, especially when you’ve been shut inside all winter, and simply instituting a daily walk can change everything—especially when the weather is nice. Sooner or later, you might find yourself blossoming just like the tree outside your window.

More Spring Reads: