I love the springtime and the days leading up to it – it’s my fave season after autumn. As soon as the grey winter days here in the UK start breaking and we get a couple of sunny days sprinkled in between, I tend to get ahead of myself and think (more like hope) it’s time to bring out my spring clothes already. The change of the season often inspires change elsewhere, and this is something that I have always felt to be a natural part of my routine, as well.
This seasonal change always brings about a ‘refresh and retouch’ feeling and inspires me to go through my home, life and goals to give them all a shake-up. So, with the seasonal change nearly upon us (can I get a hell yeah?!), here are five things I am looking to do more of this spring:
1. Yoga
I’ve been suffering bad backache lately which I think is mainly down to posture (and needing a new mattress). I’ve heard yoga is a great way to help improve muscle, core and posture. Yoga focuses on breathing, gratitude and internal mindfulness too, so it’s something all of us modern people can benefit from! It can improve cardiovascular health, flexibility, strengthen brain activity, relieve stress and anxiety – sign me up now! To help me get started this spring I will be looking for some online videos to help me start my journey, along with taking a mat outside to soak up the fresh air once I have a few moves under my belt.
2. Awareness
In day to day life it is just all too easy to lose the perception of reality and remember what is important to you – being aware of what is going on as individuals, as well as in the world around us is so important. So as the sun starts showing itself earlier and more often it’s the perfect time to set new routines and become more aware of the world. A great way to do so is to go to your favourite café, have a cup of tea and read the news/watch a documentary. There are some really informative ones out there, you can even download them to your smart devices to watch offline (so you no data restrictions) by using platforms like CHILI that has a whole section dedicated to documentary films… My Friday night’s sorted as I am a documentary binger.
3. Greens
Getting greens in once the weather takes a turn for the better becomes a whole lot easier – although as a veggie I find my greens intake is pretty high year round. As the flowers are blooming and the available seasonal crops shift, you can mix up what you are eating to keep it fresh and also help the environment by eating what’s been grown locally. Increase the amount of greens you are eating (as well as the colourful fruits and vegetables!) to boost your fibre intake, and improve your digestion, mood, energy, skin and health. After warming dishes throughout the winter, fresh produce is a wonderful way to ‘wake up’ and ‘re-energize’ come spring. When I switched to a veggie diet a few years back it was amazing the difference I felt just by upping my veggies intake.
4. Walking
You might know that I recently went to New York for a few days, you might also know that whilst there I walked my socks off. Legit I have never walked so much in my life. Timing wise maybe winter wasn’t the best time to go as a significant amount of my time before the holiday was spent watching movies and being cosy at home! AKA been lazy. Spring is that time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Being active during the day, even when walking, can have a whole load of health benefits but it also helps to clear the mind. To encourage myself to walk more and get that movement in, I’ll be going for a post-lunch walk at work. You can also sync up with a friend so you can walk and chat, park just a bit farther at the shop so you walk to your car, and use the stairs instead of the lifts! The little things really add up! Failing that I can always go to NYC again to get those steps in.
5. Self-Care
Self-care is a year-round, everyday thing and something we should all focus on a little more. But during the springtime, take the time to kick it up a notch. As there is that certain ‘fresh’ air in the spring, breathe in the fresh air around you and give yourself that extra bit of space to focus on ‘you’. Ultimately the best thing to do more of is appreciating yourself, as your body and mind will only benefit. Plus, the more your self-care increases, so does your happiness! This spring, give yourself the space to make room for healthy habits and do more of whatever ‘fills up your bucket’. If you feel your mind racing or you start worrying, explore what practices bring you comfort.
Now, these are just 5 of the things that I am going to concentrate on from my ‘spring intentions’ list. I could go on and on about my intentions – especially the ones to revamp my home, but overall, the most important thing is to be happy and healthy.
What are your spring intentions?
