How to step into spring with intentional joy

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Spring has always been my favorite time of year. It feels like stepping into joy. Like the world is gently reminding me to breathe deeper, smile wider and live a little lighter.

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There’s a sense of renewal that comes with spring.  

There’s a sense of renewal that comes with spring that I can’t quite explain, only feel. It’s the glow of longer days, the warmth of Florida’s beautiful sunshine on my skin, and the quiet excitement that summer is just around the corner. Everything feels fresh again. Hope feels closer, energy feels restored and joy feels intentional.

This season also overlaps with something deeply meaningful to me. From Women’s History Month in March through Mother’s Day in May, I love celebrating the incredible women around me. Being surrounded by dynamic, classy Black women fills this time of year with even more beauty and purpose. We are not a monolith. We are layered, brilliant and expansive.

I can’t help but recognize my mom first.  

She is the pillar of our family—the one who keeps us in line. Even at my age, I’m grateful that she still checks in, asks how I’m doing and wants to know how she can help. Somehow, she always seems to have the right answer.

I think of my sisters, who lead by example as incredible mothers, raising and loving my now-adult nieces. Watching them travel together, laugh together and truly enjoy one another reminds me of the power of family and sisterhood.

I also think of my mentor, Tekoa Pouerie. I often say I went through “training school” with Tekoa because her guidance has prepared me to sit at tables and in rooms where it truly matters. These women, in different ways, have shaped who I am and continue to inspire who I’m becoming.

We are amazing daughters, carrying legacy and love.  

We are sisters and wives, building bonds and anchoring families with loyalty, wisdom and grace. We are caring mothers, nurturing futures with strength and tenderness. We are powerful leaders, shaping rooms and communities. We are authentically feminine—soft and strong, bold and tender, and fearfully and wonderfully made to be exactly who we are.

Spring invites me to savor life more fully by spending time outdoors with friends, laughing freely, and walking through gardens bursting with color. Nature at springtime reminds me that growth is always happening. I love being outside, enjoying theme parks, soaking up sunshine and embracing moments that feel playful, present and full of light.

Spring feels like permission.  

Every year, spring feels like permission. Permission to bloom. Permission to honor the women who inspire me. Permission to glow, grow and step fully into joy while surrounded by love, sisterhood and the beauty of becoming.

As spring unfolds, I’m choosing to honor this season with intention by showing gratitude and leaning into the moments that bring light and joy. How will you honor your springtime?

Ursula James is a multimedia journalist and communications strategist working with sports teams, public figures, universities and non-profits. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Florida A&M University, and she is the AVP for Marketing & Communications at Virginia Union University. Ursula enjoys fashion, laughing with friends and family, serving her community, and exploring new territory.