Self-Care Tips to Harness The Gifts of Spring

Spring is just around the corner. As days trickle onward, spring becomes more confident, the earth swells, saplings rush to greet the sun and buds burst bringing a feeling of gentle anticipation, expectation and hope. 

Just as nature reawakens, brightens and gains energy and vibrancy, so do we. Now is a good time to feel awake, be creative and dream big.

There is a lot to look forward to this season, and a little bit of self-care pre-season will go a long way to help prepare us for busier and more demanding times ahead. Try one or two of the tips below to step into the season with increased awareness, compassion and inspiration.

• Take a piece of paper. Write SPRING at the top of the paper. Close your eyes. Take a few breathes. Open your eyes and write down everything that immediately comes to mind about SPRING.

• Close your eyes. Focus on your breath. Visualise standing in the garden, local park or woodland (even better go to the real thing or check out one of my Forest Bathing sessions). Allow yourself to be immersed in the colour green and notice how you feel.

• Listen to early morning bird song. Notice how many different bird-calls you can identify. Allow yourself to feel soothed by their chorus.

• Practise ‘chair pose’ (utkatasana) a yoga pose that helps shift energy of winter and welcomes gentle movement and lightness.

• Think of three things each day that you are proud of and congratulate yourself with kindness, sincerity and true appreciate.

• Trigger your playful spirit. Play a mindful game of I-Spy. As you go about your day, observe your surroundings. See how many changes you notice, from thing you can see, hear and smell, to those things you can sense, like a lightness in the air and the moods of the people around you. What is new? What makes spring different to other seasons?

• Use the power of the breath to welcome the vibrancy of spring. Sit or stand comfortably. Take a gentle breath in and a slow, full, deep breath out. Completely empty the lungs. When you think you are at the end of the exhale, exhale just a little more. Then enjoy the rush of fresh air as you take a new gentle breath in. As you breath out, visualise letting go of any stress and stale energy, as you breath in, visualise inhaling the joy, energy and vibrancy of spring (do not practise if dizzy, uncomfortable, low blood pressure, pregnant). Notice how energised, and refreshed you feel.

• Spend some time reflecting and journaling on one or more of the following questions – What would I like to do in the coming season of growth that inspires me? How will I stay connected to my inner wisdom, whilst taking outward action? What do I need to let go of?

• Repeat one of the following affirmations in your mind’s eye – “As the earth warms up, my spirit awakens”. “Hope flows through me and I am ready to blossom”. “I release unwanted energy and embrace new opportunities”.

• Contemplate this quote by the Dalai Lama “If you want others to be happy, practise compassion. If you want to be happy, practise self-compassion”. How does this resonate with you?

If you wish to continue seasonal contemplation, please join me for a seasonal yoga event, seasonal inspired forest bathing session, or sign up to my Step into Spring 7-Day FREE Online Spring Challenge. 

I can also highly recommend ‘The Self-Care Year’ by Alison Davies and ‘The Happiness Year’ by Tara Ward.

Happy Spring-time …