10 ways to spring clean your mind + body (2/2)

Spring is finally here, and with that, such great energy that’s calling us to renew, refresh and set the foundation for the rest of the year.

Spring is calling us to renew, refresh and set the foundation for sustainable shifts

Here’s part 2 of 10 ways to spring-clean your mind & body to support you in putting yourself on top of your to-do list, re-evaluating your habits and routines and creating more balance in your life.

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6. ENJOY CONNECTING WITH OTHERS

Connecting with friends, family, and just generally, people that light us up is so important for our overall well-being and our soul. Most of us have fewer social connections during winter. I’ve definitely missed that. So now’s the perfect time to plan the next get-together with friends. And why not combine it with a little outdoor activity like a hike or a picnic?

As with almost anything in life, I suggest you prioritise quality over quantity. You don’t have to join every party you’re invited to if you don’t enjoy it. You get to choose. Everybody is different. You set your boundaries the way it works best for you, and either way, you don’t have to explain yourself to anyone else. And it’s also ok to change your mind: one day, you might be excited about dancing for hours at a garden party, and next time, you enjoy a deep soul soothing conversation with a deer friend or even spend time alone.

There’s this theory in psychology that we become the average of the 5 people we spend most of our time with. This theory suggests that the people we surround ourselves with can have a significant impact on our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. So be mindful of who you choose.
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7. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

With all these activities going on in spring, it’s important to take enough time for yourself. Especially after a long winter, we can easily get over-excited about signing up for too many activities. So many friends and clients I talked to these past days have schedules that are super packed with social activity and feel already stressed just thinking about it. It doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re important to yourself, me-time is something that should be planned in your schedule like every other important event. You wouldn’t miss planning in time for your best friend's birthday, right?

Also, with the change of seasons, your regular routine can be disturbed, and you may need to take a bit more time than usual for yourself to help adjust and find a new balance that works for you. And yes, I know, physical spring cleaning and decluttering your home can also be physically and mentally exhausting activities that may need to be followed by some recharging activities.

So, whatever you do, be gentle and compassionate with yourself and plan in the time that you need: Whether it’s taking a relaxing bath or going for a walk in nature, allowing yourself some time to decompress can help you approach everything feeling more clear and relaxed. You and only you know how much time and what you need.

8. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness in its purest form means being fully present in what’s happening right at this moment.  

Most of the stress and worry in life comes from not being in the here and now but either lost in thoughts in the past or focusing our thinking on the future. Do you feel me? How often are you really present right here, right now? Acknowledging and enjoying the moment?

Especially now in spring, when days are longer, we feel more energised overall, we’re eager to take on new projects and sign-up for activities, and this can lead us to feel overwhelmed and anxious. Life is all about balance. And Mindfulness can be your power tool to create this balance - mentally, emotionally and even physically. There are countless benefits to mindfulness; probably the most significant is: Practising mindfulness can help us to reduce stress and overwhelm and instead feel calm and grounded and increase our focus and clarity. Yes, simply being fully in the moment can do this.

I can’t imagine starting my day without a mindfulness practice, regardless of how much or how little time I have. Here are some of my favorite, simple and practical ways for you to add more mindful moments to your day:

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DEEP BREATHING:

Before jumping out of bed, take a few moments to focus on your breath. Inhale deeply, hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly. If you wanna go deeper with breathing exercises, get my free breathwork audio guides: I recorded a morning and an evening practice feat. my favorite breathwork technique for you.

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MINDFUL EATING:

Pay attention to the taste, texture, and aroma of your food. Avoid multitasking while eating, and definitely put your phone aside.

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GRATITUDE JOURNALING:

Take a few moments each day to write down three things you are grateful for. Gratitude is such a powerful tool that can shift your focus on the positive aspects of your life and boost your mood. If you’re curious about Gratitude Journaling, I wrote an article for you about it for you.‍
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9. GET CLEAR ABOUT YOUR INTENTIONS AND GOALS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR

Spring is the time for new beginnings and growth. There’s so much energy of newness that it’s the perfect time to gain clarity about your goals and intentions for the rest of the year. When it comes to goals and intentions for me, the most important question to ask is: What will add meaning and purpose to your life? The answer is very unique and very different from one person to the other. And only you can answer this for yourself.

Of course you can just surf the wave of spring energy and see what comes out of it, however you’re much more likely to spend your time in meaningful ways and get closer to where you wanna be if you have an idea, where you’re going.

The way I like to get clear on my intentions and goals is through journaling. I love to put thoughts on paper, I basically live in my journals 😉 One of my favorite regular practices is to sit down for a few moments every day with my journal and my matcha latte, check in with myself and reflect on my thoughts, feelings, what I want to achieve and why it’s important to me. I just let my thoughts flow pen to paper, with no judgement, no editing. This process helps me to organise my thoughts and ideas and, over time, gain clarity about what’s important to me and what are my next milestones. This process takes time, and be aware that sometimes thoughts need time to marinate because it’s a journey of self-discovery and self-reflection. Setting goals and intentions is not just about what you want but also about understanding why it’s important to you and how it fits into the bigger picture of your life.
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10. MAKE SPACE FOR THE NEW: PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY

There’s a reason why spring cleaning is a thing! This feeling of lightness when a box of old things leaves the house!! Spring is the perfect time to let go of what doesn’t serve you anymore.

This does not only go for your belongings but for basically everything in life: our mind, and our habits. This can help you reduce stress and increase clarity and energy, and you create space for what gives you more energy, joy and meaning.

For tips on physical decluttering, I suggest you hop over to Marie Kondo, I’ll leave the expert advice to her, the decluttering queen. If you wanna declutter your mind and habits, a good place to start is to ask yourself some questions to sharpen your awareness about what doesn’t serve you anymore and gain some ideas of what you can do differently. By starting this small step, you can create a different experience for yourself, one step at a time.

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- What is a habit that no longer serves you that drains your energy? Instead, what is a different habit that you can replace it with?

- What is a limiting belief that is holding you back from what you wanna do? Instead, what is a thought that’s more empowering or motivating that you can replace it with?
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If you’re curious to dive deeper, I'm happy to support you to dive deeper into releasing what doesn’t serve you anymore: Book your free consultation.

Which new habit will you put into practice?

Enjoyed these tips? I’m curious: Which one resonated most with you? Which one are you eager to put into practice? I’d love to hear from you. Just shoot me a message at [email protected] or dm me on Instagram.‍

Have you missed part 1 of the 10 tips? Here we go.

Much love & BeWell 🤍
Michèle