Spring clean your mind

As the days get longer, we feel spring approaching. Get ready to freshen up and get the most out of the change in seasons!

It’s those days when the temperature gets that little bit more above zero, when the rains last a little longer and are a bit heavier. Maybe we see a flower shoot poke up, as if looking for confirmation. The clocks are going forward March 14th this year and yes, we lose an hour of sleep, but we gain a new season!

Spring has often been a time of revival and new energies around the world and across cultures. In India, the celebration of spring is called Holi, where they throw colour powders at each other, share amazing poetry and eat great feasts. The Jewisg celebration of spring is Pesach (also called passover), which also celebrates their liberation from Egypt and is also filled with great feasts. In Celtic culture is Beltane, celebrated in Ireland, Wales and Scotland with literary events, feasts, bonfires and dancing. 

All of these celebrations turn our minds to warmer days and and fun in the sun. Perhaps this year, as we see an end in the darkness to the pandemic, spring will mean even more? The restrictions vary, but the vaccine is coming. So we also have an opportunity to perhaps invent our own rituals and celebrations. Here’s some tips to get your mind ready for spring and feel your best.

Spring Mental Readiness Tips

• Take an hour or two in silence or with some low relaxing music or even a nice long walk alone, to reflect on where you are in your year, your expectations you had at the beginning of the year and what you might want to change.
• Write down what you though about during your time of reflection. Note what you want to change and where you want to see yourself at the end of the year.
• Check your resolutions, if you made any. If you did and you’ve not done anything with them, cross them off, forget them and maybe make some new ones. Let the old ones go in your mind.
• Plansome spring activities outdoors, such as looking for some places to hike or a day drive with your life partner or a friend. It gives you something to look forward to.
• Review some of your main life goals, see where you are make adjustments.
• If it’s something you would like to do, meditate for a little while and visualize spring, blooming flowers and trees and the greening of the grass. This can get you more in the spring mindset.

We don’t have to do a lot to shift our mindset away from the dark, cold winter days and nights into a mindset of renewal. Doing so can help us shrug off the winter blahs and give us renewed mental energy!

You might also enjoy this article on finding compassion and kindness through yoga.