Spring has Sprung: Six Stimulating Tips for the Season

On Spring: Six Stimulating Ways to Enjoy the Season.

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” ~Anne Bradstreet

Squirrels at Spring: 1915 by Teach50 via Wunderground

The first day of spring which is the Spring Vernal Equinox arrived in the Northern Hemisphere on March 20 2010 at 2:16 PM on my EST. The timezones will vary so we can’t assume the hour of spring’s arrival is constant for all.

One of the joys of spring is that air of expectancy we feel as the crocuses shoot their yellow, purple and other colorful heads out of the thawing ground. There is an ease in the air; birds shaking off the cold and building nests for their eggs, buds slowly unfurling, clocks sprung forward by an hour, sun shining longer to warm our hearts and our earth, dark, heavy winter wear eagerly replaced by bright red wellies (Wellington rain boots) and a growing assortment of candy colored, mood uplifting clothing.

I love spring; particularly the idea of spring cleaning. You hibernate during the winter months and spring clean in preparation for sunnier, warmer days. While spring cleaning is typically tied to what we do to our home, we can spring clean other areas of our lives.
We look at spring as a time for new beginnings – a time to make a fresh start and rediscover our skills and interests. We can clear the remnants of the winter doldrums and cobwebs from our body, mind and spirit by taking critical and massive action to rejuvenate and “clean house” in six stimulating ways.

“Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.” ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

First Spring Day in St John's by Ms. Cece via Wunderground

Unclutter Your Space: We all value the time we spend in our unique spaces; be it our home, office, exercise room or any other sacred spaces. During the winter, we surround ourselves with winter gear and fill our homes and offices with papers and other tchotcke items that add up to cluttered space.
We need to get rid of some clothes, shoes, furnishings and other bric-a-brac to open the door to new things that we truly need. Take an inventory of what you own and map out a plan of action beforehand. Decide if you will donate the items and to which organization. Determine what needs to be thrown out and the best way to discard them.
You might even consider having a Feng Shui expert come and give you tips on how to make the energy flow positively in your space. Add some plant life, open the windows and rid yourself of the extras. Follow more instructions on how to un-clutter your space here: How to UnClutter your living Space | eHow.com.

“If you’ve never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom.” ~Terri Guillemets

Look Good, Feel Better via LGFG Org by Chris Usher

Spruce up Your Looks: Nothing beats a new look to get me feeling fresh and ready for the world. A new hair style, a few new spring pieces and some color can add a dab of delight to any drab winter wardrobe. If there are clothes and items you’ve worn or used for years, this is the time to toss or donate them. Give yourself a new lease on life with a new look.
For a woman who wants to reinvent herself with a new look, has hair loss from stress, hereditary markers for hair loss or cancer, a wig can offer instant change. The Look Good Feel Better organization helps support the efforts of women with cancer to look their best. The wigs and other ways in which they empower women are commendable. Please check out their site and support them.
For women who decide to try a wig, they may choose different styles and colors and wear different wigs to match their mood. The key is to remember that the goal should be about feeling good without additional financial burdens.

“If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.” ~Nadine Stair

Spring into Action with Hatha Yoga

Spring into Workout Action: Springing into action with a new exercise regime is one of the most popular things to do in spring. We want to shed our heavy clothing and any excess weight we gained during the slower months. Before bikini and beach wear season arrives, many of us either return to our familiar exercise routines or we try new ones to get us back in shape and keep us focused.
To boost your training goals, consider trying a new form of exercise than your normal routine. If you’ve never tried your hand at Yoga and Meditation, spring is a great time to join a Hatha Yoga stretch class or take a yoga workshop through a long list of places such as Omega, YogaWorks and a slew of other centers that offer workshops. You may also consider taking a basic meditation class to learn ways to relax, breathe, and contemplate the possibility of starting a formal, regular meditation practice for peace and stress reduction.

“Awake, thou wintry earth, fling off thy sadness! Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth Your ancient gladness!” ~Thomas Blackburn

Eat Healthy Foods and Drink Water...

Stay on a Healthy Food Regimen: With the growing interest in organic foods and alternative medicines, it has become easier to find places and people to help us purchase both.
Organic foods are grown without pesticides and so there are fewer chances of digesting toxins when we eat these foods. A healthy diet is a balanced diet and the more we pay attention to where our food comes from, the likelihood grows for us to become more vocal about food production, delivery and cost.
Staying healthy through the use of acupuncture, homeopathy or other forms of alternative medicine is a very popular practice these days. It is a growth field made up of practitioners with varying degrees of expertise. These alternative forms of health therapy offer a natural supplement to traditional medicines and treatments.
Naturally, we must consult with our doctors whenever we consider new forms of treatment. Of course, with the big win 219-212 last night on the Health Care Vote, millions of American stand a better chance at quality care which when added to regular exercise and access to alternative therapies will make for an all around brighter health picture.

“If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.” ~ Virginia Woolf

Seek New Paths by 3Flowers via Wunderground

Seek New Opportunities: The world is your oyster; seek new ways to enrich your life and prosper. Spring makes us face ourselves and speak truth to our souls. Spring is a time of letting go of old patterns, habits, and addictions and welcoming new life-affirming light and energy.
This is the time to let go of toxicity in all its machinations and pick up new and exciting opportunities and paths. Rid yourself of toxic friends, stale habits, and old resentments and start anew.
Find new paths and hobbies; learn to scuba dive or skydive and pick up new job/career tips to help guide you on your journey to personal fulfillment. The secret to meeting new opportunities is preparedness, vigilance and a flexible spirit – with all three, you will be amply ready to meet your public with confidence.

“The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.” ~ Bern Williams

Causes: Feel Fired Up by Your Choices...

Support Causes that Matter to You: A spirit of giving is truly one of the foundations to a fulfilling life. Every generous person knows that the joy of giving is great however, seeing the positive end results of a gift given is exhilarating. When one gives without expectation of reciprocation, the gift blesses both the giver and the receiver.
If there are causes dear to your heart, support them with your time, money, and gifts. You should give from a place of financial comfort not strain, and let the charity or group know when you need to adjust your donations upwards/downwards. When we adopt an attitude of abundance, we open ourselves to miracles; what we give comes back to us in some form not necessarily in the way we offered it.
You may give to a few of my favorite groups, the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women, Kiva. Org, Best Friends Animal Shelter, Mary J. Blige’s FFAWN, Suicide Prevention Resource Center – SPRC, or even to any of the 10 charities listed on Oprah Winfrey’s Live Your Best Life Weekend.
Now that’s a cause to stand behind. Check out Oprah’s link

As you follow the tips above and enjoy the next few months of spring, stop by and share your accomplishments with us. Do share your spring tips below and if you’d like to be featured in my interview series, send me an email. I’d love to showcase you too. Thank you!

PHOTO CREDITS:
Squirrels at Spring: 1915 by Teach50 via Wunderground
First Spring Day in St John\’s by Ms. Cece via Wunderground
Look Good, Feel Good by Chris Usher via LGFG Org
Spring into Action with Hatha Yoga via Google Images
Eat Healthy Foods and Drink Water… via Google Images
Seek New Paths by 3Flowers via Wunderground
Causes: Feel Fired Up by Your Choices…via Google Images

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank