All of a sudden, Spring is everywhere. Trees are in bloom, the grass is green, the flowers are blossoming… and we have this urge to bring our best selves out of the closet and into the world! Here are a few ways you can take advantage of the changing season, clear away the old and make way for the new – through your mind, your body, and your environment.
Mind: Create a morning ritual that will set you up to get ahead of the day.
This can be a game-changer, it was for me! Does this sound familiar – you wake up in the morning, pick up your phone, turn off the alarm, and then check our emails, messages, social media. You start responding to things that need your “urgent” attention. With your mind and body barely awake, we are all of a sudden in reactive mode – reacting to other people’s needs. We feel anxious, rushed – already LATE! Not the best way to start the day and PRIME the body to be in a state of openness, positivity and calm. The trick of the morning routine is to get ahead of your day — wake up earlier than everyone else, and do the things that matter to YOU and prime you for a great day. The momentum you gain will amaze you!
- Start by setting your alarm 15-30 min earlier than usual, work your way up to 30 min and ideally 1 hour. Once you’re up — don’t look at your phone/ check messages. Brush your teeth, drink a big glass of water (your body is most thirsty first thing in the morning!)
- Sit quietly and take 5 min to just be mindful. There are so many researched benefits to meditation — for health, happiness, social life, self control and brain function – but for me the biggest one, is that it helps me to be non reactive and take a step back from being in the hustle and bustle of the day. The easiest way to start is just to sit and become conscious of your breath. Inhale and exhale. Thoughts, feelings, emotions will come and go, it’s totally fine. You just don’t have to get caught up in the thoughts. Just come back to focusing on the breath. Feel great that you’re taking a few minutes to create space for yourself! Check out the Headspace app for guided meditations, perfect for beginners.
- After the mindfulness, take some time to move your body. This doesn’t have to be a gym session or take long at all – it can be 10 minutes of gentle yoga, dancing to your favourite tunes (I am loving this one these days from Macklemore!), doing some stretches, squats, burpees, or star jumps. Whatever feels good – as long as you move!
- Finally, take a few minutes to set your intentions for the day. Decide what 1-3 things are most important for you to happen that day. Write them down, visualize them happening, then slot some time to work on them in your calendar. If you have any time leftover, start working on your biggest priority! Momentum is a powerful force, use it to your advantage – every small step counts and gets you closer to your goal!
Body: release toxins, fire up digestion and eat the rainbow
- At the end of your morning routine, drink warm water & the juice of half a lemon, or take a BonJu Hot Shot shot with cold pressed ginger, lemon, and Cayenne pepper. This will help boost immunity, fire up digestion and flood the body with vitamin C. Perfect way to prepare the body for the day!
- Next drink a green smoothie — with TONS of raw leafy greens and some healthy fats like avocado or flax seeds too. Super energizing, full of fibre, great for digestion – they are my GO TO and especially now as the weather starts to get warmer. Get in touch for a BonJu delivery, we can make this part easy for you !
- Throughout the day, eat the rainbow! Keep it light, have lots of salads, or veggie sides and load up on all the colours. Some of this season’s fruits/ veggies include asparagus, radish, broccoli, strawberry and apricot – enjoy them without limitation, you will feel incredible. Try starting every meal with a big green leafy salad – another simple way to ensure you’re getting your greens in daily.
- One last tip- have you tried dry brushing? It’s perfect during this time of detox – it exfoliates dead skin, improves circulations, rejuvenates and energizes your body.
Environment: Make way for the evolving you to emerge!
- We can work on our mind and body, but our environment is also a part of what allows us to show up as our best self everyday. If clutter is constantly reminding us of the past, we’re not able to be present to enjoy the moment and access our most creative selves.
- Focus on decluttering one area at a time. Keep the things that give you joy, as Marie Kondo teaches us! Clutter reminds of things past – clear them out and make way for the new!
So there you go – some tips to spring cleanse right now, through your mind, body and environment. What’s the ONE thing you want to try out? Let me know in the comments! Follow me on Linkedin @judyokten
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