As we officially begin to thaw here in NoMi, you can sense new energy buzzing with the longer days, slightly warmer temperatures, and tree buds making their debut. And as you shake off the winter, you may find yourself looking for ways to reset some of the habits that tend to set in during the last stretch of the season, which becomes a downright slog for many. The sense of renewal that comes with the transition to Spring is a perfect time to evaluate everything in your wellness plan, from physical to mental and emotional wellness. That may sound like a lot to overhaul, but it doesn’t need to be. Instead, think of it as a time to check in with yourself about how you feel and what’s working and what’s not, and tidy up your routine with the same vigor you would as you spring-clean your home in preparation for a new season of vitality. Here are three simple ways to optimize your transition to spring.

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Spring Cleaning Classics

Clutter can affect how well your brain processes information, make you more prone to frustration, and impact your memory. Research shows that excess visual stimulation, like clutter in your home, negatively affects focus and decision-making. A little can go a long way with organization, so if you don’t quite have it in you to purge your belongings, simply straightening up and tucking items away or into stylish baskets will give boundaries to the mayhem of “stuff.” Then you can get on with a good ol’ deep cleaning. It’s worth the elbow grease to remove stale dirt and dust, not just for the look but because it’s better for respiration and skin, especially as we enter allergy season. 

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Menu Makeover

If you lean into comfort foods in the colder months, you're not alone. It’s instinctual to seek warming, higher-fat foods when it’s frigid outside. Animals in nature do it, and despite our luxury of heated homes, we do it, too. Unfortunately, what kept you nourished in the winter could make you feel sluggish heading into a season when you’ll likely increase your outdoor activity. Now’s the time to focus on foods that give you energy and decrease inflammation, a huge culprit in everything from disease to joint stiffness. Adding more fresh fruits and vegetables means less inflammation, better digestion and immunity, and other side effects that leave you looking and feeling more radiant. If a menu makeover is too much, try Simple Green Smoothies’ 10-day smoothie challenge to kick-start a move in the right direction.

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Self Maintenance

One more time for the cheap seats in the back: self-care isn’t selfish! This mindset shift is challenging for so many people to embody. Our culture has trained us to think that rest is a reward reserved for after we’ve hustled, hauled, and helped everyone else. That’s how we created a burnout culture, and now the masses are pushing back on that pressure to check twenty things off the list before they’ve earned what their basic biology needs for good health.   You owe it to yourself and everyone in your sphere to take an hour a day (minimum)  to care for yourself, i.e., self-care. It can be whatever works for you and doesn’t have to be the same each day. It could be a walk, meditation, reading, painting, or (our favorite) a float session. One hour isn’t even 5% of your day, and it makes a tremendous difference in how you show up in every area of your life. This is a habit to reignite now if it has slipped away from you in the doldrums of winter.

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These easy-to-implement tactics for refreshing your wellness routine don’t require any sweeping life changes, just the intention to move toward your best health and a bit of follow-through. You’ll be shedding the winter blues in no time.

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