The weather is getting warmer, daffodils are springing up in the park and the evenings are getting lighter. It’s official: we’re finally out of the hibernation of winter and spring is here at long last. While the anticipation of spring has been creeping in slowly over the past couple of weeks, 20 March marks the first day of spring, astronomically speaking.

Known as the spring equinox – or vernal equinox if you prefer its official title – it’s one of just two days of the year when the point of balance between light and dark is the same, meaning our daylight hours and nighttime hours are equal.

The date of the spring equinox is determined by the Earth’s tilt on its axis. At the spring equinox, the Earth’s axis is tilted neither towards nor away from the sun, making day and night equal in length. This only happens twice a year: once in March and once in September (the autumn equinox).

If you want to sound really smart at the pub later, you might like to know that the term ‘vernal’ means ‘new’ or ‘fresh’, while ‘equinox’ derives from the Latin words ‘equi’ and ‘nox’, which translates as ‘equal night’.

The beginning of astronomical spring in the northern hemisphere (in the southern hemisphere the seasons are reversed) means daylight hours are now officially longer than nighttime hours. Even better, they’ll continue to get longer until the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), which takes place on 21 June in 2025.

But more than the warmer temperatures and longer days, the spring equinox can affect in a number of other ways, too.

Thankfully, it’s good news, according to Jessie Hutter, astrology expert from personality-based dating app So Synced. “Just as nature is starting to awaken and renew, so are we,” she tells Stylist. “Parts of you that have been resting are about to be reborn and come alive again. This renewed energy can mean you may be feeling helpful, inspired and powerful.”

If you’re feeling good vibes right now and anticipating good things to come, it could be the vernal equinox.

“You’ve been resting for winter, and now you’re ready to plant new seeds, take on new challenges and make the most of what’s to come,” Hutter adds.

Judy Claughton, director of happiness at BalanceTime, says it’s a great time to take note of where the balance between ‘doing’ and ‘dreaming’ is right now in your life.

“Perhaps you’ve been working hard and some time off to pause and rebalance is just what you need,” she suggests. “Or perhaps work has been slow so far this year and you’ve been caught dreaming of new possibilities, so it might be time for some action to make those dreams happen.”

Essentially, it’s a great time to reset, review and plant both physical and metaphorical seeds for success in the year ahead.

If you’re into journaling, this could be a great time to reflect on the following questions: who are you today? Who are you becoming? What happens when you invite the possibility of letting go into your life and surrendering to the possibility of being more yourself?

Want something a little more practical? Natasha AstroBalance, astrologer from the Moonly app, suggests it’s a great time to participate in team sports, declutter your space and engage in mindfulness practices.

But be warned, it’s important to harness all this positive energy in the right way and not get too ahead of yourself. “Don’t let excitable energy tip into recklessness,” warns Hutter. “As renewed as the spring equinox makes us feel, it’s good to take baby steps and ease ourselves into it one day at a time.”

Images: Getty