"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow"
HELLO SPRING 🌷
We’ve been waiting for you.
Is it just me, or does everyone feel like winter this year was darker, colder and longer than any other winter in their entire existence?
Yes, I will miss snowy days, cozy Sunday fireplaces, and the warm hats that allow me to not do my hair (but pretend I did).
Happily giving that up in exchange for sunlight, warmer weather, and more time outdoors ☀️
So bring on the refresh, renewal, re-energize, rejuvenate etc… In fact, bring on all the words that begin with “re” and check out the 7 simple tips below for ways to RE-everything, and get intentional about moving forward into a season of renewal, hope and so much promise.
Checking in regularly throughout the day (quick questions to yourself like, "'How am I feeling right now?" or 3 steady breaths), sends a powerful message that how you are feeling, what you're thinking, and what you are doing matters.
Because it does.
Keep checking in. The more the better.
It's also beneficial to do the occasional Deep Check.
* What’s working, what’s not?
* Where am I?
* What do I need?
* What's important?
Sometimes we avoid asking these questions, because we don’t want to hear the answers.
We don't want to admit that we’ve let our fitness slide, that we’re indulging more than feels comfortable, that we're not present, or that we're feeling sad and unhappy.
That's when we begin to check out, instead of check in.
We look outside of ourselves to see how we're doing (weight on the scale, possessions, physical appearance, comparing to others etc...).
** What is the quality of your daily physical movement?
Are you active each day? Are you moving your body in ways that feel good and listening for the cues that it’s giving back in return?
** What does food and nutrition look like in your life right now?
Are you listening to your body at meal times? Or are you caught up in the all too common yo-yo diet cycle of binge and restrict?
Going back and forth between I’m going to eat a loaf of bread tonight, because the diet starts tomorrow! and I cannot have any sugar or carbs or meat or enjoyment for the….rest of my life.
It’s just not sustainable and ironically leads to weight gain, unfair comparisons, and feeling terrible about yourself.
** Are you feeling connected to yourself and to others?
Are you speaking kindly to yourself? Making time for quiet, rest and stillness? What about relationships with others? Family, friends, work colleagues.
Bring intentionality to these areas of your life EVERYDAY.
Your life will be exponentially better for it.
Remember, it’s what we do consistently that shapes our lives, not what we do occasionally.
TIP #2: SET SOME NEW GOALS
PS! WRITE THEM DOWN.
Get them out of your head and onto paper so you not only imagine what you want to create for yourself, but you can see it too.
The visual reminder is so powerful.
Consider how you want to show up these next few months.
* Who do you want to be?
* What experiences do you want to have?
* How can you create growth and forward momentum?
We are so willing to just let life happen because the alternative can be scary.
* What if I try and it doesn’t work out? We don’t want to be disappointed.
* What if I let someone down? We don’t want to disappoint others.
* What if it’s too hard. We make excuses for why we can't try. But most things worth having, are worth working for.
Going forward with intention and a plan will get you much farther than just reacting to whatever comes your way.
*IMPORTANT! Go for the full on inside/outside deep clean
Random? Yes.
Effective? Definitely.
I got the car cleaned this week, and to be honest, I feel like a new person.
If you are like me and spend a lot of time driving - and/or you have children of absolutely any age… your car is probably a mess.
Side note: What in the actual earth are these kids doing back there? Cannot BELIEVE the things I found. When are they even eating all this food, where did all these papers come, and why so many lone socks? Especially in the dreaded third row - my fellow big car people know what I mean.
The car wash I go to (which I haven’t been to in 26 months apparently) is the old school kind where you stay in the car as it goes through. Still exciting even as an adult.
It reminded me of showering.
We have our daily (ish??) showers: some soap, maybe wash your hair (maybe not…) and a quick wash of your face.
It’s kind of like doing a quick clean of the front seat.
It’s effective, efficient, and there is a visible difference in appearance.
Feels good, but it’s probably not changing any lives.
But what about the times when you go all in on a Real Deal shower.
You know the kind.
It’s lonngggg. You’re exfoliating, cleansing, and breaking out the razors. There are face scrubs and hair masks, creams and polishes. There is singing and acting out different imaginary conversations you might one day have with people who may or may not exist.
When you get out of a shower like that, you feel AMAZING.
Because it's more than just getting dirt off your skin, you're renewing from the inside out.
That’s the same feeling I had driving away from this car wash.
Refreshed, energized, and ready for anything.
Just like David Hasselhoff.
Do not skip this one.
TIP #4: EDIT YOUR SURROUNDINGS
{EXTERNAL & INTERNAL}
Get. Rid. Of. Everything.
Well, maybe not everything, but probably a LOT of what’s around can either be tossed out, donated, sold, or even repurposed to better suit your life.
Does anyone else experience an almost embarrassing surge of pride, excitement, and ease looking at a space that has just been given a new lease on life with a good, thorough declutter?
I know some of you do… and you’re my people ;)
Editing your belongings is challenging and takes some time, but it can also be therapeutic and eye-opening.
A great question to ask yourself as you’re going through your stuff is, “If I were shopping right now, would I buy this?”.
This helps you stay in the present - what suits you now, rather than what felt important (or looked good!) 3 years ago.
So go through that kitchen drawer, your kids’ dressers, the garage, or the basement play area (I'm just listing areas in my own home that need attention…), and SIMPLIFY your life.
Side note: I got my first closet organizer as a 10 year old, and I was HOOKED. I vividly remember waking up early each morning to just look in and admire my closet. I didn’t have a lot else going on back then apparently… but to this day I deeply love a well-organized, edited space.
PS! Don’t forget about the Internal Declutter!
“Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits. Clutter is anything that does not support your better self.” ― Eleanor Brownn
Take stock of what’s going on in your mind and in your life.
Consider career, friendships, recreation and spiritual undertakings.
** Does it work? Make you feel good? Great! Keep it.
Keep what serves you and disregard the rest.
TIP #5: DO A SOCIAL MEDIA CLEANSE
Want to experience enhanced confidence, enjoy more free time, increased mindfulness and reduced anxiety?
Detox your social media feed.
Much in the same way you cleanse your face to rid it of impurities like dirt and dead skin cells, cleanse your social media feed to eliminate toxic messaging and wasted time.
* Take a day, a weekend, or even a week or more off completely from social media.
* Unfollow random friends, celebrities, and social media influencers that have a message you no longer agree with, or that leaves you feeling bad about yourself.
Life is too short.
UNFOLLOW.
**PRO TIP! This is especially useful if you are struggling with body image and/or food and nutrition issues (ie just about all American women…).
We are inundated with messages about what our bodies should look like, how much we should weigh, fad diet how-tos and filtered images of ‘real’ women. So much so, that we don’t even consciously realize it.
TIP # 6: ADD IN A SIMPLE NEW HABIT
Start with a single (just one!) habit you’d like to add to your life.
Something you can do several times a week, if not several times a day.
The more opportunities you have to practice it, the quicker it will stick.
Small successes add up to BIG wins.
And importantly, you begin to create evidence for yourself that you are someone who:
* Takes 3 slow breaths several times a day
* Makes your bed each morning
* Starts the day with warm water and lemon
* Takes the stairs
* Leaves electronics outside of your bedroom
* Gets up 15 minutes earlier to reduce chaotic mornings
These seemingly small changes can have a BIG impact when they act as keystone habits that have positive ripple effects on the rest of your day.
Imagine what could change.
TIP #7: EMBRACE THE GREAT OUTDOORS
“The antidote to exhaustion isn’t rest, it’s nature.” -Shikoba
Spending time outdoors greatly enhances well-being, reduces stress and can lead to higher levels of health and happiness.
So... get out of your house.
* Step away from your desk and take a 5 minute walk around the block.
* Go for a walk - bonus points if you can be near water
* Grab a blanket, a cup of tea and read a book outside
* Refresh your outdoor space - start with getting the 1,000 dead branches and leaves out of your yard - make it a family affair and drag the kids in too!
* Then play a game with them outside
* Start a garden - but do not ask me for help because I cannot grow a single thing
* Take a drive with the windows down
* Go for a hike or nature walk
* Take the bike out for a spin around the block
BONUS! BRING THE OUTSIDE IN
* Studies show that houseplants boost your mood and reduce stress levels (Yes please!) as well as enhance concentration and productivity (up to 15%!).
* Open the doors and windows to let in the fresh spring air
* Get some fresh flowers
* Or try my favorite trick and send your 8 year old out to the yard with a pair of garden shears and see what he comes back with ;)
* Place your new greens in a high visibility spot, like your desk or on the kitchen counter.
Soak up the benefits.
See ya darkness, icy mornings, and forcing children into warm clothes that they insist are not needed.
Goodbye freezing cold cars that take forever to warm up, zero sunlight and alligator skin.
Adios short days, cold nights, runny noses, and the inability to use a phone because we have gloves on.
We're onto a new thing now.
x
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