Well it’s official – Spring is finally here after what seems like a long, dark and cold Winter.
Springtime is a season full of change, and here we provide some tips and strategies to support your recovery through this season.
Spring cleaning
The act of clearing out or changing up your living space is often associated with Springtime. While spring cleaning can have its benefits, we also know that cleaning and organising can feel overwhelming and we might not want to put that pressure on ourselves. If this is the case for you, why not try applying the “spring clean” concept of freshness and newness to other parts of your life? For example, you could challenge yourself to “clean out” your digital world by unfollowing influencers who no longer serve you, or even doing a digital reset and spending less time online. Another idea could be doing a physical reset by prioritising rest.
Growing seeds or plants
Growing and looking after seeds or plants can help to ground us and give us focus, as well as something to look after. This can be a really useful exercise, especially if we’re finding it hard to look after ourselves. You could also think about growing vegetables or salad leaves. Growing something that you will later eat can help you to feel more connected to food and its natural life cycle. Added to this, if you take a hands-on approach to your growing, there is a type of friendly bacteria found in soil that may affect the brain in a similar way to antidepressants when absorbed through the skin!
Vision boarding
Spring symbolises new beginnings. Having a vision for what you’re working towards or wanting to call into your life can be a helpful tool in motivating you towards taking steps towards your goals. Having a visual reminder of what you’re working towards has many benefits:
- It reminds you of what you’re working towards on a daily basis.
- It can help you to reaffirm your commitment every time you look at it.
- It brings creativity to your recovery process.
- It can help you to focus on what’s important to you if your motivation wavers.
- It roots itself in your consciousness, which can really help your dreams to become a reality.
You can make a vision board in many different ways: through collage, through souvenirs that you’ve picked up, through symbolic words or images, or through your own artwork. Think about what you want to work towards in the coming weeks and months. Start looking for images or objects that symbolise these goals. Start to think about making something visual that you can put somewhere that you’ll see each day. You can always adjust it and change it as you adjust and change. It’s a work in progress, just like we all are.
Spend time outdoors
As the days are longer and the temperature is warmer, it’s a perfect time to spend more time outdoors. You might want to combine this activity with being more sociable too, by meeting up with friends or family to take a gentle walk or a drink outside. In spring we have the ideal opportunity to spot change. Taking notice of the changes in nature like the cycle of the leaves, flowers and plants can help us to feel connected to our environment and the world around us.
Focus on sleep hygiene
The extra hours in the day may disrupt our circadian rhythm, which in turn might affect the quality of our sleep. If this is the case for you, we’d recommend that you make sleep a priority. Preparation can be helpful here. Optimal sleeping conditions include a cool and dark room. Try turning your screens off at least 2 hours before going to bed. Having a bath or shower before bed can also help to prepare you for restful sleep.
If you’d like to talk to us about ways in which you can keep on track with your recovery, we are here to listen to any worries that you may have and to provide practical support and guidance.
