Dr Sarah Jane Khalid

March sits at the crossroads of seasons, where change becomes visible and felt. As days lengthen and light returns, our minds begin to shift too. Psychologically, this period invites reflection, renewal, and mental decluttering. The transition from winter to spring mirrors an internal reset—encouraging clarity, fresh perspective, and the motivation to move forward with intention.

Love and attachment are not simply sentimental ideas but fundamental psychological needs. Psychologist Robert Sternberg described love as consisting of intimacy, passion, and commitment—elements that apply beyond romance and into professional life. Trust with colleagues reflects intimacy, loyalty to shared goals reflects commitment, and passion appears as engagement that drives motivation and innovation. Small moments of genuine connection can strengthen relationships and improve well-being.

In recent times I find people often treat low-energy seasons, both literally and metaphorically as obstacles to get through. In the press there is a strong narrative to “fight” the winter blues, to “overcome” burnout, and “push through” tiredness. What if we have got this approach entirely wrong? Katherine May, the British writer of a gem of a book: Wintering, frames these periods not as failures, but as necessary, restorative phases of the human cycle. Psychology offers us a language to...