Flowers are blooming, the sun is staying out longer, and soon we will be donning shorts and sandals, which can only mean one thing — spring is here! This season represents new beginnings, growth, and change, which many of us could use following a dark and cold winter.
While many will deep clean their homes at the start of this season, it’s also important to focus on your mental health and clean your emotional spaces as well. Below, we’ll outline some areas of your life to “spring clean” that could help freshen your mental health and give you clarity going into summer.
Let Go Of Negative Thoughts
We’re all guilty of this one. Many of us at some point during the day will have a negative thought or mindset especially after something bad has occurred. Getting stuck in an additional 30 minutes of traffic, spilling your coffee while running out of the door, or having your favorite restaurant bring you the wrong dish can give you a negative attitude and change your whole outlook for the rest of the day.
It’s important to be conscious about pushing those negative thoughts to the side and try to look on the “bright side” of scenarios, no matter how cliche that may sound. Perhaps the extra time spent in traffic gave you the chance to listen to another episode of your favorite podcast and the restaurant’s mistake gave you the opportunity to try a new dish. Don’t let one negative thought ruin your whole day, as well as the days of those around you. Put the mishap into a greater perspective and don’t let it create an unhealthy domino effect.
Introduce Healthy Habits
In order to feel good mentally, you must first feel good physically and give your body the care it deserves. Get outside, stay active, hydrate yourself, and eat a well-balanced diet. Research has found that exercising, eating right, and being outdoors are great ways to boost the mood. After spending a few months in the cold and dark winter, it’s normal to not feel like yourself, but with the temperature rising in the spring, now is the time to explore nature. If your mood does not change and you believe it may be something more serious such as Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder, call the Lehigh Center for Clinical Research.
While you’re introducing healthy habits into your routine, take the time to break bad habits. You don’t have to tackle them all at once, start with one and once you feel confident that you’ve rid that counterproductive behavior, move on to the next one.
Reflect On Your Year
Take time to yourself to reflect on all you have accomplished so far this year and all you still want to get done. Many people make New Year’s resolutions and if you were one of them who did, ask yourself if you stuck to them. If you didn’t make any resolutions or if you let them go, it’s not too late to write a list or try again.
Perhaps you want to learn a new hobby, travel to a new city, spend less time scrolling social media — whatever it may be, now is the time to do it! Put a plan into action and go after it. When you look at all you’ve accomplished in the past three months, no matter how small they may seem, you’ll feel motivated to go after the other goals on your list over the next nine months.
