The Hidden Benefits of Curiosity and Mindfulness During Spring

And how they can make you enjoy this time of the year more.

Spring is coming. At least, where I live. I love to walk around and look at all the blossoms and birds celebrating the arrival of a new time. You know the story.

But there is one problem. One that I’ve had for more than 15 years.

Spring also means the arrival of pollen. I don’t know which, but there are some that make me sneeze and bring itches all over my body.

Now, I didn’t always have allergies, but at some point in my life, they did make my joy about spring wane.

Not because of the symptoms but because of my getting tired after a day of sneezing. Which made me not want to go outside that much anymore. Which made me even more tired.

But over the years, I have noticed that my allergies have gotten better.

Maybe it’s just the normal ebb and flow of the body.

But to me, there’s another reason: Meditation.

It’s not that it has raised my energy which has made it harder for pollen to enter my body.

Well maybe, but there is a much easier way to look at and explain the positive changes:

I’ve been more mindful of what my body actually feels like.

Because I’m still sneezing and my eyes and throat itch. But it only happens from time to time. It comes and goes, often during the same day. And when it does, I’m also more curious about it. Curious about what it feels like, how long it stays, and what else I can notice about it.

It’s no longer something I avoid. I’m almost looking forward to going out and feeling my body react. And as such, I’ve noticed that it isn’t all too bad. It’s like being outside all year, just with a couple of different movements and sensations.

So as a result, I do spend more time outside, which also gives me more energy. And so, my allergies feel like they have gotten less and less severe over time.

The process I just described is true for a lot of practices and habits we avoid and shows the simple, but profound power of mindfulness. It lets us glimpse the truth of “this too shall pass” and thus helps us have the courage and strength to have difficult conversations, face our emotions, do what’s good for our body, or simply unwind and rest.

Because when we loosen the stories we tell, like “I have allergies”, we are free to pay attention to what actually happens. And then we realize that reality is often a whole lot kinder than we made it out to be.

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