How I’m Embracing Imperfection This Spring: A Real-Life Reset

My plan was to have a whole series of articles ready for spring—how to reset your life and feel prepared for the season. How to get your backyard ready for your kids (and yourself!) to enjoy. How to declutter and start the season feeling lighter.

I also planned to repaint a bunch of furniture, sweep the floors, and do a bit of (very light!) gardening.

But then my toddler got sick. Once, twice, three times.
Then my baby got sick. Once, twice, three times.
And then I got sick. Once, twice. (Only twice—small wins, right?)

Meanwhile, the weather couldn’t make up its mind. Rain, then sun, then rain again. Everything stayed damp.

The grass exploded (I know this happens every year, but this time it was spectacular), and my husband had to spend every spare moment mowing. That left me solo with the kids—and no time for my projects.

I’d even set aside a small budget for spring updates… but then our dirt road partially collapsed. Just a small section—but still, it had to be repaired. And there went the money.

So yes, a couple of things definitely went wrong.

But you know what? That’s okay.
And honestly, I think more of you can relate to this kind of spring than to one full of fresh projects and perfect timing.

Have you noticed how every seasonal transition comes with a mountain of expectations? The start of the school year, summer break, Christmas… and don’t even get me started on New Year’s.

We tell ourselves, “This time, I’ll be ready. I’ll be organized. I’ll have everything cleaned up, refreshed, reset.”
But life? Life usually has other plans.

And that’s not a failure.

That’s just living.

My Spring Mindset Reset

This year, instead of a Spring Reset Checklist, I’m choosing a Spring Mindset Reset.

Because I don’t need more pressure—I need more perspective. And I think a lot of us do.

Here’s how I’m approaching this season differently—and how you might, too.

Forget the Deadline, Embrace the Season

Spring doesn’t have a due date. It’s not a task with a deadline—it’s a season meant to be lived through slowly. The pressure to “get everything ready” by some invisible finish line only steals the joy from the little moments you’re meant to enjoy.

This year, try softening those self-imposed timelines. There’s no rule that says the garden must be planted by mid-March or the patio decorated by Easter. The light is shifting, the days are stretching out, and there’s time.

Tune into what feels good today, rather than trying to do it all now. That might mean organizing a single drawer or simply sitting outside with a cup of coffee. Either one counts.

Let go of the imaginary finish line. Spring and summer are long. You’re not behind—you’re just living.

Focus on What Is, Not What Isn’t

Being happy about what is, instead of focusing on what isn’t—like wiping down the table you wished you had time to refresh with a coat of paint. Choose to focus on the privilege of having your first meal of the season outside, instead of the fact that the table didn’t get a makeover. Plus, a tablecloth can do the trick!

Try this: At the end of each day, name one small thing that went right. That’s your win. Write it down if it helps.

Start Small—and Let That Be Enough

Choosing to do something—anything—when you have the time and energy, even if it seems tiny. Because when you don’t have much of either, it’s really the only way to get anything done.

A little something today, a little something tomorrow, a little something all week—it builds into something meaningful. One of the mistakes I often made was waiting until I had time to do things perfectly from start to finish. But let’s be honest—how often does that actually happen?

Now, even if you have just five minutes, you can start weeding a flower bed or cleaning one window. It’ll still be better than when you started.

Small actions create momentum. And momentum changes everything.

Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Ask, “What can I do in five minutes?” Then do that.

Say Yes to Joy, Even When Life Is Messy

It’s easy to believe that joy is something we earn—something that only comes after the work is done. But life doesn’t usually offer us that kind of clean division. The mess and the magic exist at the same time.

This spring, I’m trying to say yes to the spontaneous. A silly game when I’m in the middle of folding laundry. Sitting on the porch steps while the kitchen waits. Picking flowers with the kids even though dinner isn’t ready yet.

Joy doesn’t care if your to-do list is long. It shows up in the small, unscheduled spaces—if you let it.

Give yourself permission to pause. You’re allowed to enjoy life before everything is “done.”

Make Space to Feel the Season

Spring has a way of sneaking in quietly. A shift in the breeze. A patch of light on the wall. A single wildflower growing where you didn’t plant it.

But if we’re too focused on what we “should” be doing, we miss it.

This season, I’m making space to actually notice spring. To take a slow walk down the road. To open the windows, even if it’s just for ten minutes. To breathe in fresh air, even if the laundry is still calling.

It doesn’t take a big gesture. It just takes presence.

Ask yourself: What does spring feel like to me today? Then lean into it, even for a minute.

🌷 Spring isn’t something you achieve.
It’s something you allow yourself to feel.

And when you let yourself feel it—in the middle of real life, in the middle of mess—it becomes something far more beautiful than perfect ever could be.