Spring Is Here
Spring and Our Five Senses
Typically, when we think of spring, there are many things that we see, smell, touch, taste, and hear that are reminiscent of this season of growth and renewal. We see the initial bud of flowers and the tiny spots of green growing on tree branches and bushes. We smell the greenery filling out and the sweet soothing aroma of this new growth. We feel the warmer weather on our skin and notice that we no longer need our winter coats. We crave flavors of the season, such as spring greens and maple syrup. Finally, we hear birds chirping and singing their melodious songs early morning.
Imagine if we allowed ourselves to embrace spring with child-like curiosity and fully welcome all that it has to offer! What would that look like for us? What would we do the same? What would we do differently?
A few ways that I am fully experiencing the change in season is by:
Taking longer walks in the early morning
Stopping to smell flowers on walks
Pausing and listening to birds throughout the day
Cleaning and re-planting my above ground (standing) vegetable/herb garden
Lighting Aromatherapy Candles that have a floral aroma including Bergamot, Geranium, Lavender, and Ylang Ylang
Each day that the sun is shining spending a few minutes in the sun, allowing the warmth to radiate on my neck and face.
Eating fruits and vegetables that peak in here spring such as asparagus, bok choy, carrots, parsley, and strawberries.
Various ways that we can embrace the season to its fullest using our five senses are:
Mindfully walking outdoors (no music, no phone, just the outdoors)
Smell a budding flower
Plant a vegetable or herb garden
Eat fresh-picked green lettuce
Listen and observe the many musical notes song by neighborhood birds
Make a game out of birdwatching and try to name the different types of birds discovered
Pick fresh herbs, rub their leaves between our fingers, smell their herbaceous aroma, and taste the sweet, savory, bitter, or sour notes
Reassess or Re-awake Mind, Body, Spirit
In addition to our five senses markedly experiencing springtime, our mind, body, and spirit are also heightened. Some of us are shifting out of seasonal depression from the winter months. As the temperatures rise and the sun shines more, we notice increased energy, and our mood has lifted. In contrast, some of us are shifting into depressive states due to extra pollen, allergies, environmental changes, hormonal shifts, and mood imbalances. Where are you? What are you observing? How are you thinking/feeling/doing/being? Take a moment to pause, breathe, and keep. Repeat. Repeat once more.
What if we used this season of rebirth as a catalyst for reassessing and reawakening our mind, body, and spirit? Imagine, rather than solely pondering creative ways to organize or re-organize our home to make it functional and clean, what if we took the time to examine ourselves regarding our physical, mental (emotional, psychological, social), and spiritual health. What needs to be cleansed or revitalized regarding our mind, body, and spirit?
To begin to reassess or reawaken our mind, body, and spirit we can ask ourselves the following:
What do I need?
How do I feel?
How am I being?
What is serving me well?
What is not serving me well?
How am I managing my health and happiness?
In what ways am I making my health and wellness a priority?
Where am I spiritually?
What am I thinking?
How am I thinking?
Reset. Restore. Release. Recommit.
At the beginning of this year I established an intention to: Reset, Restore, Release, and Recommit. I am resetting from 2020, restoring health and wellness health practices, releasing anything that does not serve me, and recommitting to honor my values. To further elaborate, in 2020 I closed my yoga studio, discontinued seeing face-to-face therapy clients, closed my candle business, was billed ten thousand dollars to terminate my lease that I could no longer afford, re-branded my wellness business, watched loved ones and strangers suffer firsthand from the COVID pandemic, and observed racial injustices and horrific violent murderous acts occur in the nation that I call home. What are your experiences from this past year? Whether 2020 was similar, worse, or better for you, I am sure that you are in need of a reset too! How would resetting benefit you? What impact would resetting have on your overall wellness?
We are one quarter into the year, and I am reflecting on my intention this past winter season. I am grateful for this new year and have made personal and professional changes that are beneficial to my wellness. As I am pouring into others, I am drinking as I pour. I am now engaging in caring for others responsibly. I have restored my yoga practices, mindful walks, daily devotions, good sleep hygiene, and gratitude practices. I am eating whole food plant-based, surrounding myself with people with similar values, allowing myself to say “no,” and not over-explaining myself. I am spending more time staring at my chihuahua (she’s so cute!), taking soaking baths, allowing myself to indulge in Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) movies without guilt (hubby is also a fan!), and not taking myself so seriously. I believe restoring these daily practices has aided me in optimal health and wellness.
In the aftermath of 2020 (and maybe overall life), there is a multitude of negative consequences and unhelpful thoughts/emotions/behaviors that I have encountered or developed that I am consciously and intentionally releasing, including fear, worry, occupational stress, relational stress, comfort eating, anxiety, thoughts of inferiority, and overeating. There might be more things that I need to release; however, these are the specific areas that I have written in my journal as not serving me well. Prayer, gratitude, examining my thoughts, walking, yoga, mindfulness, and grounding, are some holistic ways I observe what I am holding on to, its impact, and the actual act of releasing. I have released these thoughts/emotions/behaviors that no longer serve me; I have experienced absolute liberation and freedom! I would love to say that it is “one and done,” but that is far from true. Each day I check in with myself and ask whether I am doing/how I am feeling/or how I am being been serving me. If so, then full speed ahead! If it is not helping me, then I consciously decide whether I will hold on to it or release it. What do you need to remove that is no longer serving you?
Undoubtedly, there are some days when I am more grounded and centered than others; however, my overall health and wellness are where I would like them to be. I am recommitted to my values of positive wellbeing, family, spirituality, and loving others, myself, and the environment responsibly. Honoring my values aligns with my intentions and the impact I want for myself for this year. What are your values? What do you need to support you in upholding your values?
If you established a 2021 intention, goal, motto, resolution, mantra or vision I invite you to reflect on it and ask yourself some of the following questions:
How have I honored my intention/goal/motto/resolution/mantra/vision?
How has my intention/goal/motto/resolution/mantra/vision served me?
What is the impact of my intention/goal/motto/resolution/mantra/vision?
If you did not establish an intention/goal/motto/resolution/mantra/vision, then I invite you to consider the following questions:
What are my health and wellness goals?
What are my needs regarding health and wellness?
How do I want to think/feel/be this year?
What does health and wellness mean me to me?
What does health and wellness look like for me?
How am I promoting health in my life?
What do I want for myself holistically this season?
Spring Cleansing Holistically
Whether this change in season is something you look forward to or something you dread, there are some areas that we can cleanse holistically that would be beneficial for us all. Spring cleansing holistically means that we would observe and assess our physical, mental (emotional, psychological, social), and spiritual health and make space for new growth and transformation. I invite you to take a moment to assess where you can cleanse holistically.
Here are some ideas on how to move forward and create space for spring cleansing holistically:
Start a new hobby or area of interest. It is painting, sewing, woodworking, knitting, soapmaking, or something else that has been catching your attention. Just. Try. It.
Create a gratitude journal or engage in gratitude practices. Practicing gratitude eases anxiety. There is no “right” way to practice gratitude. I like to jot down things I am thankful for, engage in self-care acts like a soaking bath with therapeutic bath salts, or send amazing women random cards expressing my appreciation for them in my life. Have fun manifesting gratitude!
Connect with others. Maybe invite a girlfriend for a walk to the dog park or schedule a Facetime chat. Attend virtual church or volunteer at an outdoor food bank. Visit your local neighborhood’s farmer’s market. Offer your services on a clean-up day at a local organization. Social support, community, and connection are natural ways to impact anxiety and depression and improve mental health positively. There are endless ways to connect this spring safely.
Clean and organize your surroundings. Remove cobwebs that have accumulated, dust windowsills and ceiling fans, unused bag clothing, vacuum under beds and in between sofa cushions, take part in deep cleaning, and get your home smelling fresh! After a good cleaning of my home, I like to spray Lavender Grapefruit Healing Mist because of its refreshing, uplifting, and tranquil aroma.
Engage in movement. Yoga, karate, lifting weights, running, walking, kettlebells, swimming, dancing, and more are all holistic ways to balance the nervous system, improve blood flow, and reduce stress hormones. Moving the body is a way to naturally take care of ourselves without side effects to take care of ourselves without side effects. My movement of choice is walking and yoga. I have sensitive joints, and these forms of exercise have the lowest impact on me.
Treat yo’ yourself! Self-care is vital to our positive health and well-being. Go hiking, try a new recipe, read that book, tap into your creative side, indulge in a self-massage, or give yourself a mani/Pedi. Drinking wellness tea that is chock full of antioxidants and healing powers, leisure reading, traveling (obviously limited in 2020), yoga, hennaing my hair, having and watering my 20+ indoor plants, and having daily quiet time alone are some ways that I engage in self-care.
Employ mindfulness or meditation. We are constantly “doing” and often not “being.” Take time each day, one minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or even 60 minutes, to breathe and observe your breath. If mindfulness or meditation is new to you or sounds daunting, check out a free beginner course on Headspace. My favorite apps are Abide and Headspace. I also enjoy listening to Barbara Gibson on Insight Timer.
As women, we face unique challenges in our emotional, personal, and social lives. Often, we focus on the needs of others rather than ourselves. I am inviting us to operate differently. Let us make ourselves a priority this season. Let us assess, examine, evaluate, and check-in with ourselves and determine our needs. Let us set our agenda for our health and wellness!
We can take steps and changes that we can make to cultivate peace in our lives and thrive this spring! I would love to walk alongside you in creating your happiness and enhancing your ability to promote health, prevent disease, encourage self-care, and foster healing in your own life! Schedule a Brief Phone Consultation today to start your journey.
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Peace & Wellness, Dr. Nicole