No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.
Hal Borland
Spring Break’s on the horizon… and then it’s over.
There’s snow on the ground… and then there’s not. (And then there is again.)
From temperatures to daylight to dates on the calendar, this can be a strange time of year, filled with rapid changes that can leave you feeling a bit disoriented.
Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be a stressful time of year.
Today we’re sharing 5 tips to navigating the winter-spring transition with ease:
1. Aim for consistency
It’s hard to make anything a daily habit without first taking a look at how your days are structured. Consider your day-to-day routines and ask yourself: How consistent is my schedule? It’s not about becoming regimented or scheduling your day to the minute. It’s simply a matter of making sure the essentials– sleep, water, food, etc.– have a designated place in your day. Every day.
- You might like: 5 Emotional Wellness Habits to Adopt Today
2. Tune in to your hunger
With external cues, like daylight and temperatures, shifting abruptly around you, you might find yourself struggling to pin down precisely what week/month/season it is. One of the simplest ways to restore a sense of balance? Nourish yourself with comforting, wholesome foods. Tune in to your intuition and ask yourself: What sounds good to eat? If there’s a chill in the air, maybe something warm and hearty appeals to you. If it’s sunny out, perhaps ice cream is the right choice. Never mind what the calendar says; use this transitional period as an opportunity to practice reconnecting with your natural cravings.
- You might like: Emotional Eating: What’s “Normal”?
3. Explore movement you enjoy
Whatever comes to mind when you think of “exercise”, one thing’s for sure: It’s complicated. With so many confusing, conflicting messages about how, when, and why we should be moving our bodies, it’s easy to understand why so many of us simply end up avoiding it altogether. But, don’t miss the chance to experience all the benefits of joyful, healthy physical activity! The key is to experiment with different types of movement until you find one (or more!) you truly enjoy.
- You might like: 5 (Free) Physical Activity Resources for At-Home Movement
4. Cultivate healthy sleep habits
Sleep. It’s one area of wellness that simply isn’t given the respect it deserves. Most of us know we could be getting better rest. And yet we tend to rely on conventional wisdom, rather than taking a closer look at what the science of sleep actually has to say. Fortunately: Optimizing your sleep isn’t as tricky as you might think. By putting some simple habits into practice, you’ll start to notice real benefits– both immediately and for the long haul. And that’s a great way to care for yourself during this time of transition.
- You might like: 3 Keys to Changing Your Sleep Habits in 2022
5. Practice contentment
The cousin of gratitude, contentment is the state of “feeling satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.” In other words, if gratitude is focused on giving thanks for what we have, contentment is focused on finding peace with all we don’t have. It’s choosing to live from a place of ease and rest, while acknowledging you needn’t possess anything more in order to live that way. Simple enough, right? It is… but it also takes a little practice. It’s never too late to start practicing the art of contentment.
- You might like: Contentment: Turn What You Have Into Enough
This is a strange time of year, no doubt. But, you’ve got this. And we’re here to support you in the process!
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Looking for help navigating the winter-spring transition?