Spring Cleaning your Mind & Body
It’s finally March, and it’s starting to feel like winter is almost behind us. Although we will surely have a few more uncomfortable chilly days, the temperature is slowly rising – along with our spirits!
The month of March always brings a new energy – the energy of spring! And of course, this new energy usually brings spring cleaning. That time of year where you go through closets, clean out your pantry, and finally organize your junk drawer. You can finally start opening the windows, and the days continue to get longer. Letting go of the winter months feels amazing. It’s one of the best things about living in a state like Ohio!
Something I’ve been thinking about is taking the essence of spring cleaning, and applying it to other areas of your life. We’ve all cleaned out the closet, but what about addressing the emotions you’ve been ignoring? What if you decided to reduce the “junk” food in your diet? There are so many ways we can fall into poor habits during the winter, and so many ways we can work to clean them up! Personally, I find myself getting outside and spending time in nature less during the cold months. And those comfort foods are just so comforting!
This month, I’m going to focus on cleaning up my habits. If you’d like to join me, I’ve made a list of the different ways you can “spring clean” your mind and body.
Cleaning up your diet. How can you work to make healthier choices this month? Try to start in the smallest ways. If you know you usually crave a bunch of sweets after dinner, get yourself some nice dark chocolate and savor it. If you never have time to make lunch during the day, try meal prepping the night before so you don’t have to get fast food. I like to prep lunch when I’m cleaning up dinner the night before. Start with some baby steps. Just adding a few more veggies to your meals will bring a whole lot of good!
Throwing out negative thought patterns. Do you catch yourself having repetitive, negative thoughts? It happens without us even realizing it. When we make mistakes, our first instinct is often “ugh, I’m no good at this!” or “ I feel so stupid.” We offer other people so much forgiveness and understanding, so why wouldn’t you offer it to yourself? This year, let’s throw out those phrases and replace them with more loving ones. How about saying “I’m only human and I’m doing my best.” Or one of my mantras is “Progress over perfection”. Adding some positivity into the mix will keep our minds in better shape.
Embracing the sunshine. With everything going on in the world, it’s almost the default to focus on, talk about, and be consumed by negativity. The world can feel like a dark place when it’s all we’re hearing about. At least once a day, try to step away from the negativity and embrace the sunshine – both literally and figuratively! Being outside is a wonderful way to feel more connected to your body. It’s also good to make a list of the good things! What are you grateful for? What are you excited about? What brings you joy today? Embrace the good things.
Planting seeds for yourself. What small habit would you like to “plant” into your life? Spring is the time for planting. Can you start to set aside 5 minutes in the morning for mindfulness? Or maybe you’ve been wanting to create a workout routine? Let’s get started in sewing those seeds now and they will bloom into beautiful habits by the summer.
Embracing yourself where you are.. Lastly, all this talk of spring cleaning can easily pull you from the present moment. March is a beautiful time for growth, and it’s also a great time to just be. Make sure you take time for yourself to truly relax – whatever that means for you. Reading a good book, hanging out with your loved ones, being outside, or just sitting. We tend to get caught up in the busyness of life, and it’s easy to leave the present. You are here, so be here!
I hope you enjoyed these tips for spring. Trying to work on just one of these things could really brighten up your days! As always, if you’d like to join our community in my private facebook group, you can join here. I would love to hear from you, and what you plan to do this spring!
In Health,
Dr. Emily