Spring Forward with a New Attitude

Springing forward is more than just moving our clocks up an hour. It is also about springing forward with a new attitude. Making an attitude adjustment can help you breathe deeper, feel healthier in both mind and body, and can bring a smile to your heart and face. It also acts as a source of encouragement, knowing that we can accomplish all those plans we set for this year. 

Listen in to learn how to start your Spring off on the right foot!

Transcript

Ah, the joys of springtime. We fling our windows open wide to let the fresh warm air in, and the stale air out. Smiles creep across our faces as we enjoy the sweet aroma of newness – new grass, new leaves on the trees, and new blooms. Spring has a way of lightening our steps and our hearts. 

The last thing we want to do is feel weighed down by dragging the baggage of winter along with us. With all the newness of spring, we need to ditch that baggage and move forward with a brand-new attitude. 

But before we shift our attitude from the slow pace of winter, the first thing we need to do is step outside and take a deep breath of fresh air. Take a walk around your yard, your neighborhood, or even go to a park. Fill your lungs with the sweet smell of spring and observe the trees as they put on new leaves, the tiny buds of new flowers about to burst open and listen to the sound of the birds chattering away. 

 It sounds like something out of a fairy tale, doesn’t it? But in reality, breathing in fresh air is a great way to energize your body and your mind. It clears out the cobwebs and negative thinking. It also puts our bodies in motion for much needed aerobic exercise. And it’s the best way to start working on adjusting our attitudes. Call it a reset. Similar to how we will be moving our clocks forward in about a month, we are moving our minds and bodies forward to get ready for all the activity that will be coming our way in spring and summer. 

Now that you have stretched both your mind and body, it’s time to ‘spring’ into action. (Sorry about that – I just couldn’t resist.)

Our first action step is to do a review. If January and February were too cold to get outside much, you still should have been busy inside. By now, most of your plans for the year should be in place. Hopefully, you’ve started on your handmade Christmas gifts, and in your gardening notebook, you should find your plans for this year’s garden. Some of us may have even started planting seeds and are taking care of tender seedlings.

Take a look at what you have written down. If there are changes to be made, now is the time to make adjustments where they are needed. Once you are happy with your plans, it’s time to start moving forward with them. 

The next thing you should do is to come out of hibernation and reconnect with friends. In-person socialization is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. It helps to exercise our brains through conversation, helps us learn a new perspective, and gives us the ability to exercise our emotions, such as understanding, compassion, empathy, and joy. It also helps us to feel connected and aids us in building our self-worth. 

There are many ways you can socialize. Call up a friend and invite them over for coffee or arrange to meet them at a local café. You can also schedule a shopping and lunch day if you both have the time. If you enjoy entertaining, consider inviting several friends over for a tea party. You can make this simple or go all out and ask them to wear their favorite tea party hats.

Your next action should be to get busy at home. Spring is the best time to throw open the windows and let all the stale winter air escape. Go ahead and clean the windows inside and out to let every possible ray of sunshine in. Do a thorough cleaning, including changing the sheets from warm flannel to cooler cotton. Be sure to wash all the bedding while you’re at it, as well as any pet bedding you have.  And don’t forget to take advantage of the fresh spring breeze either, by hanging your laundry out on the line. Fresh air, combined with sunshine, is one of the ways you can deodorize your laundry, and the ultraviolet light of the sun helps with disinfecting and bleaching.

Next, tackle your closets. Start shifting from sweaters and wool socks to cotton shirts and sandals. Check your winter wear for any repairs that need to be made. If required, take sweaters and wool clothing to the dry cleaners before storing them away. And any clothing that no longer fits, discard them by either donating gently used items, or repurposing the ones that are too far gone. 

Once your house is clean, go ahead and make a few changes. Rearrange the furniture to allow for a more open feel. Take the Christmas poinsettias to the greenhouse, and fill vases full of fresh flowers. Fold the heavy blankets and throws and replace them with lighter weight versions. 

Now for the fun part – well, it’s fun if you love to garden. It’s time to start prepping your garden for planting. For some of you, it may still be too cold, but that shouldn’t stop you from at least getting things ready to go. For us here in Louisiana, Good Friday is the day the starting flag for the gardening race gets waved. Once we reach that point, we are pretty certain all threats of frost have passed, and unless it’s pouring down rain, most people who garden are up to their elbows in dirt from early morning until late evening.  

If it’s warm enough in your area, go ahead and till or dig up your garden, make your rows, and add your row markers and trellises, if you use them. Since we still have a few weeks until we can plant, make sure all your seeds are ready to go, any plants you have growing are watered and healthy, and your tools are clean, sharpened, and ready to go to work. And now is the time to shop for any other plants or seeds you may need – before the nurseries are cleaned out of the healthiest plants. 

And don’t forget to grow at least a few flowers that can be cut and brought inside to fill a vase, or to take to a friend or neighbor. Think sunflowers, zinnias, Shasta Daisies, Larkspur, and possible even some black-eyed Susans.

When you need a little break from all this physical activity, settle in with a cup of coffee or tea, and pull out your menu plans for the next month. It’s time to shift from the warmth of soups and stews to a lighter fare. Start thinking of ways to use fresh fruits and vegetables. Think in terms of salads made from fresh greens, fruits, and vegetables. Try your hand at pastas with lighter sauces, such as basil and olive oil. And don’t forget to bake a pound cake, which can be topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries with a dollop of whipped cream.

Springing forward is more than just moving our clocks up an hour. It is also about springing forward with a new attitude. Making an attitude adjustment can help you breathe deeper, feel healthier in both mind and body, and can bring a smile to your heart and face. It also acts as a source of encouragement, knowing that we can accomplish all those plans we set for this year. 

During your afternoon tea break, stop and think about all the negative thoughts and attitudes you’ve accumulated. And then take the time to let them go. Negativity only serves to weigh your down and keep you from accomplishing all the wonderful things you want to do. 

And even better, shedding all that negativity can help us feel like a whole new person, complete with positive thoughts, better energy, and a stronger ability to face the uncertainties and hardships we may face this year. 

It may sound cliché, but I am wishing for all of you a springtime filled with sunshine and beautiful days. Take advantage of it and go enjoy every minute of it before the heat of the summer hits!

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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.