21 Mar Put a spring in your step with a fresh start
There is something about bright morning sunshine that can’t help but fill you with hope and optimism.
It really is a case of stepping out of the darkness into the light, mentally and physically.
Spring is always about new beginnings – the time to put a new personal roadmap in place to plan out the life that you want, and what you need to do get to your destination. New year’s resolutions are notoriously difficult to keep in the dark, cold days of January but spring shines a brighter light on everything you do, making it that bit easier.
Start small with stepping stones for your personal roadmap
Embrace the positive vibes sent out with the arrival of the cool spring sunshine and set out the stepping stones for making a change in your life – but remember don’t overwhelm yourself. Small steps ultimately make for big changes as they become daily habits.
- Do you want to get fit?
- Eat healthier?
- Start on the route to a new career?
- Forge new friendships?
- Develop new interests?
Write a quick-fire list of what you need to do to get there, then get started on them one at a time.
The concept of focusing on one thing at a time is highly documented and can be introduced into all aspects of your life.
“Spring adds new life and new joy to all that is.” Jessica Harrelson
Find your purpose in life: Unlock your potential
The simple task of putting your plans in writing will help to get you fired up. Don’t waste time beating yourself up about missed opportunities or past mistakes – just like plants that have been lying dormant have come into bloom, you too will blossom if you give your dreams the care and attention they need.
The days are getting longer, giving us the sense of more time so use this time wisely to take care of yourself and work towards living the life that you want. Try to forget any past darkness and see the light ahead. Let the sun shine on your future dreams and lay down the roots for change now – you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.
“Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.” Jim Carrey
Being happy in your own skin
The dawning of spring is also a reminder of how important it is to take care of ourselves. Just like neglected plants will not reach their full potential, neither can we as humans.
We also need water, food and sunlight to survive – but to be the best version of ourselves we need to treat ourselves well and that means being kind to ourselves. It is far too easy for a poor diet, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep, toxic relationships and fake representations of happiness on social media to chip away at our self-worth and make us feel bad about ourselves.
Make yourself happy with self-care
Make a new deal with yourself to eat as well as you can, get out for exercise – even just a walk, shut off the endless chatter of social media and know that you deserve better from strained relationships. Allow yourself to be happy in your own skin, not chasing an unrealistic, airbrushed internet ideal. You will only end up making yourself unhappy – this isn’t real life.
Not looking after yourself can lead to issues that can massively affect your life, such as anxiety, low self-esteem and poor body image. In a worst case scenario these can even lead to eating disorders and self-harm as coping mechanisms. It really is important to recognise the sources of unhappiness in your life and seek to take better care of yourself. Let it be now and take the freshness of spring as a sign to refresh your life.
This spring bask in the golden light that a bright new future can offer.
“Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on. Life will get warmer.” Anita Krizzan
Dates for the diary
There are 100s of national days and awareness campaigns taking place every month. This March we’ve picked a couple of days that resonate close to our hearts in looking after yourself and planning for a positive future.
National Careers Week
It isn’t always easy to choose a career, but National Careers Week is a great place to find inspiration and learn more about all the wonderful opportunities that are out there. Having an insight about which careers they may choose should help to guide children and teenagers in their course choices from Year 7 onwards.
Having a goal to work to is a fantastic motivator in education. During the week lots of free resources, workshops, videos and presentations will open up the world of work.
March 19, World Sleep Day
Sleep is so important to health, state of mind and even the way we look. A good night’s sleep will leave you revived, restored and give your body time to repair. This will be reflected in increased energy, clearer skin and an ability to cope better with all life throws at you. If you have fallen into toxic sleep habits, use World Sleep Day to hit reset and learn about the benefits of a good night’s sleep.
Find out how meditation can help to rest your mind to aid sleep and how mindfulness can let you make the most of your waking hours. If you are struggling to sleep there is plenty of support out there – and if you think a good night’s sleep doesn’t matter, think again!
“Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower.” John Harrigan
Choose the life you want to lead
Start making the changes that you need to live the life that you want. Start small and be kind to yourself. But make a commitment to put yourself first – you deserve it.
And while you are at it, take some time every day to look after yourself and feel good about yourself. Make a fresh start. My book The Spark to Your Success will help to guide you, or your child, into a more positive frame of mind to let you be the person you want to be.
What makes you feel great, or really helps you to focus on your goals? Let our online community know and see what you can discover from them.
Start that list today and let the sunlight shine on your dreams for tomorrow and fill your days with brightness and positivity as you make a fresh start.
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