The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and flowers are starting to bloom – spring has officially arrived.
I love spring because along with marking the end of winter, spring is the season of new life and new beginnings.
If you’ve been feeling like you’re stuck in a rut, spring is the season of hope. Right now is the perfect time to make positive changes in your life and take action towards manifesting your goals and desires in life.
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What would the beginning of spring be without a little spring cleaning? I’m not talking about your house (although that’s always a good idea, too.) I’m talking about a spring cleaning of your mind, body and soul.
Follow along with these 5 ways to spring clean your mind, body and soul and you’ll start to see some positive changes in no time.
5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Mind, Body & Soul
1. Get Moving
It’s human nature to tend towards hibernating during winter. Even the most passionate gym-goer sometimes finds it difficult to lace up their sneakers and head to the gym when it’s pitch black, minus 10 degrees and the roads are iced over.
But now that the warmer weather is upon us, it’s time to get your body moving again. This can be as simple as starting a regular home yoga practice, or as full-on as a HIIT workout.
One of the great things about yoga and HIIT (and a big reason why they’re my two favorite forms of exercise) is that they can both be done anywhere, with little to no equipment.
Exercising outdoors has so many proven health benefits, and now that the temperature has started to rise, consider moving your exercise routine outdoors.
Always remember – listen to your body and do what feels right. It’s important to get out of your comfort zone, but don’t push yourself to the point of injury and exhaustion.
2. Do a Digital Detox
Studies have shown that we spend substantially more time on our electronic devices during the winter months, with the average person spending 4 hours and 40 minutes on their phone every day.
That means we spend close to 30% of our waking hours with our nose in our smartphone.
Studies have shown that excessive screen time is linked to a number of negative health issues, including eye strain, insomnia, neck and shoulder pain, and metabolic syndrome, which combines diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.
Contrary to this, a digital detox can have life-changing benefits, including deeper connections, improved sleep, posture and memory, and the ability to see life from a different perspective.
It may not be possible for you to do a full digital detox, but even committing to reducing your smartphone usage by one hour per day and not looking at your screen for at least one hour before bed provides incredible benefits.
3. Meditate Daily
There are countless benefits to maintaining a regular meditation practice, including lower stress levels, better sleep, improved mental clarity and less anxiety. Studies have even shown that regular meditation can help to lower blood pressure, slow biological aging, and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and death by up to 48%.
Transcendental meditation, a specific type of meditation that uses sounds and mantras and is practiced for 20 minutes, twice daily has been shown to have excellent health benefits. However, all forms of meditation provide significant health benefits, so find the style that resonates the strongest with you.
Below, you’ll find a 10 minute beginner-friendly trascendental meditation you can follow along with:
4. Get Rid of Physical Items
Holding onto physical items that no longer serve us can contribute to feelings of overwhelm, and take up precious space in our mind.
Aparigraha is one of the yamas of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga, and is translated as “non-attachment” and “non-possessiveness.” Aparigraha encourages us to let go of everything that doesn’t serve us, including feelings of anger, hate, jealousy and resentment.
These can be quite heavy to work through, and more than a simple “spring clean” so I’d encourage you to focus on letting go of the physical items that you no longer need/want/aren’t serving you.
Go through your closet and set aside everything that you don’t love and/or haven’t worn for at least one year (excluding special occasion outfits.) Separate into three piles – a trash/recycle pile, a donate pile and a sell pile.
5. Do a Gentle Cleanse
We have a tendency to eat heavier, more calorie-rich foods during the winter, so completing a gentle internal cleanse and detox can help get the digestive system moving and cleanse the colon of toxins and waste build up.
Colon health is incredibly important, as our colon helps to absorb all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients found in the food we eat. Waste build up in the colon inhibits the colons ability to absorb these nutrients, which is why a gentle cleanse is an excellent way to increase nutrient absorption.
