Spring, yay! Don't you just LOVE the power that spring holds? To recharge, to cleanse, to burst forth and grow exponentially? It's a renewal phase in the year and we can harness that energy and apply it to any area of our lives.
We would like to help you harness the potential spring has; to let spring ignite you and envelop you with its expansive energy, to cleanse you of the winter blues and clear away its stagnancy. By clearing away what is no longer serving us, we allow space for the new to come in; new experiences, new energy, new joy… to help us live a life full of potential.
Let’s expand on the general use of the term “spring cleaning” to let it encompass body, mind and spirit.
Spring Cleaning for the Body
Our bodies are mystical, magical wonders. They work continuously to keep us healthy by using what we eat to fuel us, renew us and regenerate us. We are not often conscious of how hard our bodies work and therefore are not always conscious of how we treat our bodies. Here are 3 tips to help spring clean your body and show it the love it deserves :)
1. For your body to thrive, you need a diet to support it - this means fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts… Whole foods, fresh foods are the fuel your body needs to work at an optimum level. These are the foods that supply your body with the building blocks it needs to renew you and fill you with vital energy.
If you’re overwhelmed by how much your diet needs to change, simply start with eating more of these foods than you did yesterday. Little by little you can reshape your eating habits by continually choosing better options.
You don’t need to cut everything out of your diet and consume only juices or smoothies. For some people, that works quite well, but for others the thought overwhelms them completely. Just be conscious of your choices and follow your intuition when it comes to the foods you should be eating. This doesn’t mean cravings - cravings are what come from an imbalance. Once you start eating more of the right foods, you will get a sense of what your body really craves. Your body knows best. Give it the credit it deserves and start listening to it a little more intently. It will show you the way :)
2. Let the fresh air in - Spring air has a new energy to it; a freshness that is invigorating and revitalizing. On beautiful spring days, open up the windows in your home and let it in. Clear out the stagnant air that’s been circulating indoors all winter. Allow the invigorating air to come into your home and bring some fresh new life force into it!
3. Move your body in nature - The best part about spring is that you want to be outside again! The sun is out, the air is fresh, the flowers and trees are blooming and bursting with life… it’s the most beautiful time of year and you don’t want to miss out on it.
Exercising in nature is not only good for the body but also the mind and spirit. It helps connect us to this planet and to all of the magic and wonder that is alive on it. It has the amazing ability to make us feel grounded and whole again, reducing our stress levels and reigniting an innate bliss inside of us. That’s powerful stuff!
Walk in the forest, follow some trails in national parks….Go to where nature is and move your body :) You will be so happy that you did!
Spring Cleaning for the Mind
It can be pretty easy to have our minds on autopilot. We are so overworked, overwhelmed, overstimulated that we just need to tune it all out for a bit. Understandable right?! But is that really how you want to live your life? On autopilot? I don’t either. The good news is that we can choose to make more mindful choices; choices that help to keep our thoughts positive, our intentions aligned and our overall sense of self on course. Here are some tips that I find helpful:
1. Meditation can change your life - The power of meditation and visualization are tectonic; they can reconstruct your life for the better. Starting your day with even 5 minutes of meditation can dramatically alter the way your day will unfold. It really is easier than you think. |In fact, you probably already meditate in one form or another... washing dishing, walking the dog, folding laundry, being creative... all of these tasks can be meditative.
If you haven’t tried meditation before, I highly recommend this article because anyone can meditate - honestly.
2. How you talk to yourself matters - Be kind to yourself which includes talking nicely to yourself. Stop the negative self talk. It is having dramatic negative effects on your health and you’re not even conscious of it. Do you catch yourself in a negative spiral? “Why is this so hard?....I can’t do this….Why even try?...I give up…” You deserve so much better! Let's put a stop to it now.
I used to have that voice in my head too - “What is wrong with you? Why are you so stupid?” and on and on. Would you talk to a friend that way? Or a small child? No way, right?! So why do we talk to ourselves that way? We are often so critical of the internal parts of us that haven’t received the love and nurturing they needed growing up. We all need a little more loving kindness, and a little less tough love.
What worked for me was becoming an observer of my thoughts, catching myself in the act, and rewriting the thoughts I was thinking. Over time I was able to say “NO” to the negativity and replace it with something positive.
You are enough, just as you are right this very moment. Learn to really believe that and affirm it with positive self talk like I am enough. I am loved. I am worthy of love...
3. Clearing and cleaning physical space helps mental space - Yes indeed! Who doesn’t like a little decluttering in the early spring? The environment you surround yourself with effects how you think and feel. Are there toys and clothes that are no longer played with or no longer fit? Donate! Put away seasonal clothing that will no longer be needed to clear out your entryway.
Spring cleaning can make you feel fresh and new. Try cleaning those hard to reach areas you’ve forgotten about over the last while. Flip your mattress and toss those throw pillows in the dryer to eliminate lurking bacteria. Giving your home a new sense of clean will truly help your mind feel clean and clear also.
When cleaning and clearing we love to use our All Purpose Cleaner and Room & Body Sprays to give our home that wonderful sense of freshness. I especially love that they are all natural and vegan, and safe for the kiddos and kitties (or pooches)!
Spring Cleaning for the Spirit
Even though times are changing, it is still not top of mind to think of your energy body affecting the way you feel. At RGG, we are firm believers in the power of spirituality and the importance of working with your energy (we are both Energy Healers!). When it comes to spring cleaning, this is the last piece of your wholly trinity: your spirit.
Here are 3 tips to help spiritually spring clean your home and body:
1. Cleansing the energy in your home - Cleansing the energy in your home can make it feel fresh and new, as if a weight in the home has been lifted. There are a few different ways to do this but I am going to suggest some less common ones because why not! :)
A great remedy is to boil lavender flowers/sprigs in a pot on the stove and then bring the steaming pot to all the stagnant corners in your home. Simply fan the steam out as you walk around your home and it will work to clear all of that stuck, stagnant energy out!
Another way to clear the energy is to visualize white light. I do this all of the time in our home so I can attest to its usefulness. Sit as you would in meditation - comfortable, with your back straight - and close your eyes. Now place an image of the room you’re in, in your mind. Try to visualize all of its characteristics. Then, visualize an incredibly bright white light that emanates throughout your room. Let it completely encompass every inch of the scene - to a point where all you see is the incredible, bright white light. The best part about this exercise is that you can use it on yourself as well! Surround your whole body with this bright white light and let it fill you to a cellular level with cleansing, healing energy. It’s spectacular!
2. Find soulful activities with others - Get out there and truly CONNECT with others. Find activities that fill your soul with happiness and light you up. Connect with your tribe and have some soulful conversations. Reignite your passion, lend a helping hand, spread joy and positivity :)
Happiness - and especially bringing happiness to others, fills our souls with joy and a sense of purpose. We really are all connected and when we spread joy around - who knows how far it will go!
3. Cleanse your energy with crystals and mineral baths - Our bodies are made of mostly energy; beautiful energy. A great way to take care of our energy is by cleansing them with magnesium salt baths and crystals.
Find some undisturbed time to yourself and set up and beautiful, healing bath for yourself. Light some candles, draw a hot bath, fill it with Epsom salts and surround it with any crystals or crystal clusters you may have in your home. Get in the bath and really connect with how peaceful and healing the space is. Let the warm water soothe your muscles, the aromas lift your spirits, and the crystals and candles re-energize your whole being. You will feel fantastic!