Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the first day of spring. As a season, spring represents new starts, rebirth, the end of a long winter and so on. Personally, I’ve always considered spring as a time to take action. It’s motivational, seeing all those birds hopping around, flowers starting to sprout, weather improving. Thoughts turn to planting a garden, cleaning out the accumulated debris of the winter — both indoors and out — and maybe starting new projects to get ready for summer. What better time to pick up an old novel-in-progress, dust it off and see it with fresh eyes? Or to step back and assess where you are with your writing goals and how you can retrench for best effect?

If any of this sounds silly or overly convenient, I’ll let you in on a secret. The key to motivating yourself to keep going through the rough patches — the writer’s block,  the work crises that make it hard to steal writing time, the heartbreak in your love life that makes you want to curl up and ignore the world including your WIP — is tricking yourself into meeting the challenge for one more day. If you wake up in the morning feeling less than energetic, if you feel like writing is the last thing you want to do, scratch around for a reason to be motivated.

Today, spring is as good a reason as any to get off your butt and get to work. If you’re not a writer, I’m sure there’s something else you can do to spring into action for the new season. Pull your running shoes out of the back of the closet and go for a jog. Make an appointment to get a new hair cut, or go get your nails done in some pretty spring shade. Get online and check out the schedule for your nearest major or minor league baseball team and see if you can buy tickets for an early game. Take your kids to the playground this afternoon. Clean out your kitchen junk drawer. Do something. Energy is contagious.

Happy spring, and happy writing.