Springing Forward: Unweaving the Chaos of Change

Photo by Luka Savcic on Unsplash

Every year, we are asked to spring forward—to wake up an hour earlier, to reset our internal clocks, to force our bodies and minds into a new rhythm before we’re ready. It’s disorienting. It leaves us groggy, struggling to find our footing, as if the ground beneath us has shifted while we slept.

This year, the feeling of forced acceleration extends far beyond the time change. The world is shifting at an unrelenting pace—politically, socially, environmentally—and we don’t have time to adjust before the next change arrives. The news cycle moves faster than our ability to process it. Executive orders seem to fall like rain in the Pacific Northwest. Policies are overturned before we understand their full impact. The structures we’ve relied on—institutions, workplaces, democracy, communities—are being dismantled, reshaped, or reconfigured before our eyes. Many of us feel dazed, reactive, and are unsure where to focus our energy.

Unweaving as an Antidote to Forced Acceleration

When the world insists on urgency, we are not required to meet it at its pace. Remember that saying about poor planning on one person’s part does not constitute an emergency on your part? Instead of blindly springing forward, what if we paused? What if we stepped back, assessed what no longer fits, and made conscious choices about what to carry into the next cycle? What if we looked at what we actually can control? This is the practice of unweaving—the intentional process of undoing outdated patterns, questioning inherited narratives, and making space for what truly matters.

Unweaving is not about disengagement; it is about discernment. It is about refusing to be swept along mindlessly and instead asking: What is needed now? Where am I being asked to show up? Where can I let go?

Recognizing the Threads That No Longer Fit

I hear so many have overwhelm and wish for the insular times of COVID as social and political activities abound. Just as we swap out winter coats for lighter layers in the spring, this is a moment to examine the narratives, commitments, and expectations we have been carrying. Some are worthy of holding onto as necessary in our world. They offer warmth and structure. Others could feel suffocating, outdated, or misaligned with where we are now.

• What responsibilities have I taken on that no longer align with my values?

• What beliefs about myself, my work, or my community need re-examining?

• Where am I reacting out of habit rather than intention?

It is said that how we spend our time reflects our values. When you look at your day, week, month - does how you spend your days align with what you espouse as a value? Does it appear that you value work more than family or home? Unweaving allows us to release what is no longer serving us so that we can step forward with clarity, purpose, and grounded energy.

A Small, Intentional Pause

The time change disorients us because it happens suddenly. World events have us off kilter because they are moving so fast. Meaningful change doesn’t have to be abrupt. The opposite holds true when it is intentional, deliberate and reflective. We can choose to slow down, even when the world speeds up.

So, instead of forcing yourself to match the acceleration around you, try this:

1. Take a breath. Feel your feet on the ground. Anchor yourself in this moment. Notice only what is around you in this minute.

2. Ask yourself: What is one thing I can release today to lighten my mental, emotional, or physical load? Clarify to find one thing to let go.

3. Make a choice: Instead of reacting to the next headline, demand, or expectation, choose where your energy will go. Act in a way that honors what you need right now.

Unweaving is not about doing less; it is about doing what matters. As we step into this season of longer days and shifting rhythms, let’s do so intentionally—not just springing forward, but stepping forward with purpose. Let the sun shine.