When I think of Springtime quotes these two come to my mind “April showers bring May flowers and Spring cleaning.” This year Spring started on March 20th. Springtime is one of my favorite seasons. I am also a little biased because I was born in April. I am sending out a Happy Birthday to all my fellow April babies. Spring means we change our clocks by moving them forward by one hour. The Spring season is the start of carnivals, garden parties, 60° weather, rain, and the end of ski season for most resorts and just in time for festivals. Can you hear the fun, I surely can! So grab your sunscreen, shades, a raincoat, hoodie, and keep that winter coat handy because we know how Colorado weather can be. Did you know April is also a month of awareness of World Autism, Parkinson’s, Sarcoidosis, Functional Neurological Disorder, Multiple sclerosis, and many more disabilities awareness (Disability Inclusion, 2021).
The way I like to start the Spring season is by viewing my life from a holistic perspective to improve my mental clarity, happiness, and improve my health. In my home environment, I like to declutter those corners in the house that have accumulated winter boots, scarves, and gloves from the long Winter season. I take down the dark curtains and hang up thinner and lighter colored ones to easily allow more light and air to come in. I then like to clean out my garage and storage and get rid of items that I no longer need or that simply do not serve a purpose and donate them. According to an article by Hick (2020), “The accumulation of excessive possessions causes disorder and chaos in living spaces and is determent to living a living meaningful life.” (p. 4). I even have a saying, “if my home is cluttered it is a reflection of how I am thinking.” Now do not get me wrong I moan and groan through the process but the reward of mental clarity, happiness, good health, and a decluttered living space is worth it.
Mindfulness of my mental and physical health is essential to me stepping into Spring. I am far from a spiritual guru, mental health professional, or physician but I am a strong proponent of all three. Most of us get caught up in the busyness of life and fail to practice self-care. At the start of Spring, I like to reflect on what mental and physical tools have worked and which ones are no longer severing my highest good. A quote from My Cup of Cocoa that I like is “Your Mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.” With the warmer temperatures in spring, I like to take my dogs on nice and refreshing walks. This allows me to literally smell the air and take in the scenery while also getting some exercise. In addition, I also practice mindfulness by having a nice cup of tea and writing in my journal on my deck or reading a good book.
Stepping into spring looks different from person to person. For me, spring reminds me to live in the here and now. It is the season when I like to enhance my stress management skills, improve my physical health, and take in the fresh air and nature’s beauty. There is no right or wrong way to step into spring. How is it going to look for you?
Written by Michelle Perry
References:
Disability Inclusion. “2022 Calendar of Disability-Related Dates.” Disability Inclusion, 17 Dec. 2021. https://disabilityin.org/resource/2022-calendar-of-disability-related-dates/#
Hicks, Dawn Christina. 2020. Understanding Well-Being: Clearing Personal Space for Wellness. Masters thesis, Harvard Extension School. https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/37365612/HICKS-DOCUMENT-2020.pdf?sequence=1
Leah. “11 Inspirational Quotes For Spring.” My Cup of Cocoa; Plant Flowers, 5, April 2018. https://www.mycupofcocoa.com/11-inspirational-quotes-spring
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