Shake off the winter dust and emerge as a fresh, vibrant you. Gerry Ellen offers simple self-care tips to embrace the new season.

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The joys of Spring and its’ transition of the earth, people and our hearts is widely felt as one of the most birthing times of the year, and for good reason. Spring is renewal. Spring is bearing witness to all the seeds sprouting to life that have been planted over the long winter. Spring has zest and magic. Spring is similar to the egg; it cracks open when it is ready and not a moment sooner.

Oftentimes the power of this season takes us by surprise, as those living in the snowy areas of the country can be once again buried by Mother Nature and her dense moisture, more so in spring than during the winter months. However, the sum of all this is energy.

When a new season arrives there is a tendency to want to overhaul a few things. Our wardrobe, our look, our home, and our relationships all become a central theme during spring. The closet and clothes that have hung there or are folded onto shelves now look old and wrinkled and full of the doldrums. We feel the need to spruce things up. Our hair is outgrown and knotty and lacks shape and dimension, and we might want to lighten up the load on our necks and upper shoulders, so we get a haircut.

The Abode

The domicile in which we rest and relax takes on a musty smell of the burned out fireplace that warmed us so often during the colder months. The windows have collected spider webs and random bugs searching for warmth. The solution is to spring clean and maybe change out some colors and pillows and paint a fresh coat on the walls, and of course vacuum with attachments. And then there are our relationships with others; how are we communicating with those we love, those we do business with and those we just meet?

The Body

Radical self-care during the onset of this new season is almost mandatory. We recently experienced so many planetary shifts and wave changes that redeeming ourselves through self-love can completely turn everything (and then some) around. I have this thing where my body can sense a new season approaching. I begin to pay more attention to my health, I notice that certain articles of clothing or shoes no longer have a place in my life, and I definitely have a strong desire to clean out the mental cobwebs of communication towards others.

I wrote down on a few random post-it notes last week about how my body needs a massage. It has been long overdue, and the niggling cracks and aches have built up over the months. Spring is an excellent season to spend more time ironing out any leftover tension and kinks from trying to stay warm in the winter. And about that haircut, it might be worth a second look on how to spruce up your style or unhealthy dead weight hanging from your head. That’s how I approach thinking about cutting off some length of my hair.

The Nourishment

Another loving, and possibly critical step in the self-care department, is the food we eat and how much of it we are eating. Our systems need a cleanout every now and again and the transitional season of spring is a primary moment for doing a little detoxification. It doesn’t have to cost bunches of money, or consist of loads of unnecessary time constraints (we are lightening our hearts, as well). We can make simple choices to invest in less of a food source that isn’t healthy, and instead, opt for another food source that can rock your world—small choices like these are medicine for the soul.

Juicing, smoothies, healthy teas, more fruits and vegetables, less dairy and meat, easy on the alcohol, and other means to take care of ourselves is super bonus in the self-care category. Cleanses are wickedly popular during this time, so choose one that best suits your budget, your tastebuds, as well as your particular needs.

The Connections

And lastly, the newfound care of relationships and communication. If there is a time to set things straight with anyone near and dear to our hearts, now is especially important. Too often we allow misunderstandings and forgiveness to get swept under the carpet, words and feelings piling up for months until, like a fresh spring flower, we bust out and explode with unnecessary actions that may cause hurt or pain.

Healthy self-care also means loving ourselves enough to be authentic and have boundaries, and share that feeling with our relationships. If a parent is getting under your skin, be mindful and kind and let them know how you feel. If you and your significant other are at a crossroads with what to do next and how to do it, talk it out in a loving manner. This can be selfless too, which by no means detracts from a purposeful self-care.

It all adds up to feeling one with each other and the relationship.

Spring is my favorite time of year, and with all the above reasons to go a step further in just about every inch of care, I’m thinking that we can all benefit from doing what we can to start with ourselves and work our way out towards others. Love who you are first and be loved for what you can give second. It’s that simple.

 

[image: via EladeManu on Flickr]