In the northern hemisphere, March 20 is the day of the Spring Solstice.
On this day, the sun crosses over the equator line, and the days begin to get longer and warmer, and our evenings welcome more light.
Unlike the Winter Solstice, the Spring Solstice is more positively anticipated. By the time March rolls around, most of us are ready to thaw ourselves from Winter and begin anew.
Beginning anew is precisely what Spring is about. This season embodies the ideas of fertility, new beginnings, and rebirth—a revival of life and complement to Winter's powerful dormancy. As we enter this new season, we can find new ways to celebrate life and take care of ourselves.
How to Refresh Your Spirit
Out of all of the seasons, Spring invites our celebration. It represents not only a contrast to Winter but a beautiful affirmation to life. The Earth begins to wake. Trees bud. Daffodils push their way skyward. Everything around us vibrates with renewed energy, and we can receive this vibrant invitation from our natural world by incorporating its lessons and gifts into our daily routines and lifestyle.
Spring clean your space. It's likely that most of us have spent the better part of Winter in our homes (especially during this pandemic). Spring is the perfect time to refresh our houses with a deep cleaning. Clean out that junk drawer. Finally, take that bag of clothes to Goodwill. Toss that two-year-old BBQ sauce that is haunting the back of your refrigerator. Cleaning your home is a powerful act of self-care and has been proven to have a profound impact on mental health.
Redecorate. One simple way to celebrate the changing of the seasons is to make visual changes in your home. This could be as simple as moving a chair from one room to another or replacing a picture on the wall with a different one. Making small tweaks to your visual space celebrates the new season and can provide psychological comfort.
Get Outside. Whereas Winter is the time to turn inside and reflect, Spring beckons us to open our windows, take a stroll, and get outside. Even if it's as simple as taking a walk around the block, getting some fresh air, and taking in your surroundings have multiple health benefits, including improved mood and reduced feelings of stress.
Refresh Your Diet. What we eat can have a large impact on our brains. Incorporating seasonal foods into your diet is a wonderful way to celebrate Spring and take care of your mental health. Produce won't be in full-swing until Summer, but the warmer weather can make the switch from soup to a salad feel pretty amazing. If you're feeling extra celebratory, you could even make some spring rolls.
Plant something! Studies show that gardening can positively impact our attention span and boost our self-esteem. As city-dwellers ourselves, we know that not everyone has access to a yard with a space for a garden. Luckily, there's a lot that we can garden indoors. Certain vegetables like tomatoes and microgreens can be easily grown in kitchens or indoor areas with ample sunlight.
Renew Your Self-Care Routine. Like other areas of our lives, our self-care routines need to be refreshed occasionally. Whether you're switching from meditating in the morning to the evening or buying yourself a new Springtime journal, it's a good idea to keep things fresh and engaging.
Celebrating the changing of the seasons is a way to gently and gracefully embrace the changes within ourselves. Just like the natural world, we are ever fluctuating and growing. Not only is this OK, but it's necessary for self-exploration and knowledge.