Inspiring ideas to live our best lives this season.
Ah Spring! Tis the season characterized by growth and upward movement. All of nature is awakening. Trees form buds and leaves, flowers push up from the earth, birds build nests and lay eggs…For us humans, Spring is also a beautiful season. As the days get longer, there’s more opportunity for us to blossom and grow. A time to clean things out, refresh and begin anew in so many ways. Instead of staying home and continuing to hibernate, let's get outside and enjoy the sunshine! Let’s express kindness and compassion towards ourselves and those around us.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine and Yin yoga, Spring is associated with the element of wood, an expansive, powerful energy. To keep our mind, body and spirit in congruence with the season, our liver and gallbladder organs are in need of our love and attention at this time of year. The liver detoxifies our body and ensures a good flow of blood and energy, while the gall bladder supports digestion. When our mind, body and emotions are balanced through the smooth flow of this energy, we feel healthy, decisive and full of kindness and generosity. When we are out of sorts, we may feel angry, frustrated, tense and fall into compulsive behaviors-we hold our stress and our emotions inside. So, when it comes to spring cleaning, don’t just clean your house and garden, adjust your self-care routine to spruce up yourself too!
Check out these simple ways to live each day in the fresh energy of spring:
NUTRITION
Replace winter stews and heavy soups with lighter foods - enjoy a variety of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. Think GREEN: dark green leafy, broccoli, basil, celery, artichokes, peas, avocado…
I start each day with a glass of warm water with lemon juice. It's a great way to rehydrate, kickstart my energy and support my liver (then I enjoy my coffee).
EXERCISE
Head outside, breathe the fresh air, walk in nature, feel the sand between your toes! Springtime calls us to move more; to grow in our muscular strength and stretch our torsos with side bends and twists. Practice meditation, yoga and tai chi to balance the body’s meridians (energy channels). When these meridians are in harmony, we feel motivated to be and to do and to dream.
MINDFULNESS
How do you see yourself? Our thoughts play a huge role in our lives affecting our physical health, energy and ability to focus. How we perceive or react in a situation, or to a person (including ourselves) is a choice that becomes a habit for better or worse. Check in with the words you use. Let this be a time to notice and sweep out judgmental and negative words and plant words of empowerment for yourself and others. For example, how often do you think/speak about what you DON'T want? “I hate that color”; “She’s a terrible driver”; “I shouldn’t eat this but…” Now how often do you think/speak about what you DO want? “I enjoy bright colored clothes”; “I’m so thankful we saw that car coming and moved”; “I choose to eat this because I feel good afterwards”. As we become aware of the words we use and the meaning we give them, we create the opportunity to focus on what will help us transform, bloom and grow.
Springtime is the perfect time to reclaim the joy of moving, our creativity and sense of adventure. Give yourself permission to let go of accumulated heavy emotions and spring into action!
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