Look out your window. Winter is packing its bags. It might take one last swipe at you on the way out, but the light is winning.

What comes after winter is . The lethargy lifts. We open the windows to air out the stale heat. We suddenly want to organize the garage, start a diet, or apply for that new job. Spring isn't just a season; it is the world’s collective permission slip to try again. 5. Hope (The Uncomfortable Kind) This is the most important thing after winter: hope. But not the easy, comfortable kind.

Color. Chaos. And the audacity to believe that the cold couldn't last forever.

You will have a 70-degree day followed by a blizzard. You will wear shorts in the morning and a parka at night. What comes after winter is chaos —but it is the good kind. It is nature reminding us that nothing moves in a straight line. Winter is monochrome: white, grey, brown. What follows is a gradual saturation boost.

After winter, we don't get a guarantee of warmth. We get the opportunity for warmth. And that is enough. So, what is after winter?

Hope in March is a fragile thing. It is betting that the seed you plant today will survive a frost next week. It is cleaning your patio furniture even though it might snow on Sunday.

Go outside. Breathe in the mud. You made it. What is your favorite sign that winter is finally over? Let me know in the comments below!