After a long, cold winter, most of us are left feeling pretty bored and uninspired. As the spring sunshine starts to warm your soul, take the opportunity to show some love to your mind, body, and spirit. These six self-care tips can help inspire you to give yourself the reset you’ve been craving.
1. Spend Some Time Outdoors
After months of being cooped up inside, your body is screaming for some exercise and fresh air. Step away from your electronics, go outside, and enjoy the sunshine.
Start taking walks whenever possible. Not only will this get your blood flowing, it will also help clear your mind. Try going to places where you can surround yourself with nature. From budding flowers to baby animals, the entire world is waking up and starting anew. Observe this awesome phenomenon and you’ll soon start feeling inspired to make some changes of your own.
If you need your phone for safety, go ahead and take it with you, but put it on do-not-disturb and keep it in your pocket. Give your mind a break from the constant connection and stimulation. Instead of feeling distracted, try allowing yourself to simply listen to the birds sing, feel the breeze on your skin, and let your mind wander.
2. Give Your Home a Clean, Fresh Smell
When the weather finally starts to warm up, one of the best ways you can freshen your home is to simply open the windows.
Avoid the potentially dangerous chemicals in commercial cleaning products, candles, and air fresheners. Instead, try making your own cleaners with natural products and essential oils. An essential oil diffuser can also pull double-duty, making your house smell great while giving you a beneficial boost of aromatherapy.
Once your house is clean, add the finishing touches with some gorgeous fresh-cut flowers.
3. Clean Up Your Diet
When you’re hibernating indoors all winter, it’s not unusual to eat heavier foods. If you’re affected by seasonal affective disorder you’ve probably also found yourself reaching for comfort foods and processed crap.
Without holding judgment over the decisions you’ve made in the past, go ahead and use springtime as a catalyst to reset your habits and give your body the fresh nutrients it needs.
Take everything out of your refrigerator and cabinets, wipe everything down, and get ready to start fresh. Get rid of anything that’s expired and throw away or donate the foods that don’t make you feel like your best self. A clean, shiny refrigerator and organized pantry set you up for success as you refocus on eating in a way that nourishes your body.
Visit your local farmer’s market for fresh fruits and veggies. Try to “eat the rainbow” each day by adding a variety of colored foods like carrots, blueberries, fresh greens, and bell peppers to your diet. Instead of worrying about the things you “can’t have,” focus on eating healthy foods that you enjoy. Water infused with oranges, strawberries, lemons, and limes can also keep you hydrated while giving you an extra nutrient boost.
4. Create Space
If your home is messy and stale, the effects can spread out into the rest of your life. Being constantly surrounded by clutter can leave you feeling distracted and irritable. Clearing your home of things that no longer serve you is a great way to get your creative juices flowing and create space for fresh new energy.
Start by going through your desk, filing cabinets, and your junk drawer. Digitize your documents by investing in an inexpensive scanner, and shred as much as possible.
Organize your newly-scanned documents as you go and make sure you have a backup system in place. This is a project that can usually be done in a single day, but the results will make your life more manageable for years to come.
If you have the energy to take on a new organizing and decluttering project every few days, you’ll have tackled your entire home in a couple of weeks. The task may seem daunting, but the freedom it creates is well worth the effort required.
5. Clear Your Mind
Spring cleaning shouldn’t stop with your physical junk. It’s a great time to take care of yourself by clearing your mind and releasing any negative feelings you’ve been carrying around. This is often far easier said than done and requires daily effort.
You can’t feel calm and focused if you’re constantly carrying all of your thoughts, feelings around in your head. Commit to journaling every day, even if for only a few minutes, and watch the magic happen.
Want to take things even further? Take up a daily meditation practice. If you’re intimidated by the thought of sitting in silence for hours, start off slow. As little as five to ten minutes a day is enough to start creating positive benefits. There are several different types of mediation you can try including silent, guided, and walking. Experiment with your options until you find something that works well for you.
6. Re-Evaluate Your Priorities
With so much going on in the world, it’s easy for our priorities to get out of whack. Use this opportunity to reconnect with the people you love by creating space in your life for them. Relationships don’t thrive on their own, they need to be fed and nurtured.
Evaluate where, and with whom, you’re spending your time. Make an honest assessment of whether you need to make some changes. Although it may be difficult, there comes a time in your life when you have to let go of relationships that are toxic, draining, or just aren’t right for you anymore.
Make a list of all the things that truly make you happy, then make a list of how you spend most of your time. Compare the two, and it will soon be clear where you need to make adjustments. Give yourself permission to set aside hobbies that no longer give you a creative spark and pursue new passions that have come to light.
Self-Care Tips for The Rest of the Year
Self-care isn’t something you should do once a year and forget about. Take good care of your soul by focusing on small wins every day. Pay attention to how you feel, make efforts to stay connected with the world, and enjoy all of life’s little pleasures. The more often you do this, the better you’ll feel all year long.
Originally published at blissquest.net