Reviving Your Holistic Health Habits For a Feel-Good Spring

Take advantage of the season of rebirth to amp up your goal-setting, exercise regimen and fresh cooking ingredients

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Springtime is the perfect season for positive change and inner growth. In the winter, it can be easy to get into routines that are somnolent and slow, making it challenging to always choose a healthy, conscious lifestyle when it’s so cold outside. Many people find it nearly impossible to lead a fully holistic, energetic lifestyle in the winter because they are affected by seasonal depression during the colder months. In fact, nearly 5 percent of the U.S. population experience increased lethargy, hopelessness, and tension in the winter.

Although seasonal depression affects so many people, it is possible to overcome these negative feelings because fortunately, there are many indicators of overall health that can direct you to set positive habits in motion for the remainder of the year. By embracing the blooms and new life of spring, you can fuel your mind and body with rejuvenated energy.

To revive your holistic health habits, there are certain steps you should focus on:

Step 1: Set new goals and intentions

To begin your inner spring-cleaning, start by focusing on your mindset. By setting goals for yourself, you can look forward to certain achievements and be proactive in your activities from this moment on. This way, you can already be in the habit of taking positive steps in the right direction from the very second that you wake up each morning.

Start with a small goal, like meditating in the shower for three minutes each morning.

After you practice this meditation technique, or whatever other mindful activity you choose, on a regular basis for a few weeks in a row, you will no longer be able to separate it from your morning routine. Once you instill these types of positive mental intentions and implement them into your everyday routine, you will start to recognize personal progress. You’ll begin to look forward to these sorts of goal-oriented activities as a way for you to accomplish something—no matter how small—every single day.

Step 2: Get moving

One of the most important elements of leading a holistic lifestyle is being active. Physical activity is necessary to stimulate positive changes in the body and to feel re-energized or energized more generally.

Once you get outdoors, you will immediately recognize the positive effect it has on opening your mind to new ideas, thoughts and energy, all stemming from the environment and fresh air.

After a long winter of burrowing indoors where it’s warm, try spending time outdoors going for a jog or walk in nature. Join a dog-walking group if you have a furry friend. You can even form a jogging club with people in your local community or become a member of an existing one. These ideas will not only give you a greater sense of purpose, but you will also enjoy socializing while experiencing the beauty of the great outdoors. Regular daily movement is essential to reviving the spirit after a long winter, and it can be fun to develop a new hobby, like hiking or cycling, as a way to celebrate a healthy lifestyle.

Step 3: Cook with seasonal ingredients

A third step you can take to re-center your holistic habits this spring is to seek out some delicious seasonal foods that will make your taste buds sing with delight while simultaneously boosting your health. During winter, it can be easy to get into habits of eating lots of animal fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. It’s comforting sometimes to sit by the fire, cuddle up with a mug of hot chocolate or some thick, rich soup and simply relax.

But after this type of soulful eating, now is the perfect time to take advantage of fresh, and even raw, spring vegetables and fruits. Some green seasonal foods to try include radish greens, beet greens, asparagus, artichokes, cabbage, dandelion greens, leeks, and peas. All of these fresh vegetables will be blooming and ready to eat in the springtime, which can make for some truly tasty recipes. Think of your menu for the week as an opportunity to include ingredients that you may not have tried before, but which will excite you to cook with. Then, your dishes will come to life just as your body is reawakened to the new life of spring.

By setting new goals, being physically active, and cooking with seasonal foods, you can revitalize some holistic habits this spring and feel like your best self. If you make the effort to develop habits that are both mindful and centered on healthy living, you will quickly notice the positive effects it has on your outlook and on your capacity for inner growth.

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