Welcome relief! 🌻 This will give you a spring in your step and make you want to do more.
Last week we discussed the different types of talking therapy available on the NHS, or from private health insurance. We’re going to take a slight detour this week to welcome in the spring, and then next time we will get back to the next tool in our toolkit.
It is officially the start of spring on Monday 20th March and I expect it will be welcome to all. Despite having hibernated in South East Asia for the majority of winter, I have been back in the UK for over two weeks now and it has been very chilly indeed! I’ve been making the most of my log burner!
I deliberately timed my return with the start of spring, which is my favourite season. I planted spring bulbs before I left knowing that seeing them emerge would give me something lovely to come back to, and indeed I have enjoyed watching them sprout forth! The lack of sunlight and warmth has been hard, but the days are getting longer and sometimes we’re into double figures, which beckons to warmer, sunnier days to come. Sunlight is a key ingredient for improved mental health, and we’ll discuss this in future.
To me, spring is always a relief. Spring flowers, longer days and returning birds (including me! 😂) are a symbol of new beginnings, fresh starts and new hope. I wonder if this resonates with you too? As these things brighten our days, it feels easier to reach for other positive thoughts.
I have begun ‘project spare room’. My desk has been surrounded by boxes from moving into my house 9 months ago (where does the time go!?). I’m slowly clearing out the old and making space for the new. I even constructed the spare bed, so I can now finally have friends to stay. I’m not just clearing out the old physical things, but also emotional challenges and hopefully leaving behind a very tough 4-5 years. It feels like a breath of fresh air and new beginning. This kind of clear out and symbolism can be great for our mental health. What is it in your life that needs a spring clean? Is it your home, your relationships, your job, your health or your body? Perhaps it is your communication skills within your relationship, or one piece of work you’ve been putting off (guilty!), a niggle in your back that needs attention, or perhaps starting a more regular workout regime?
If you can’t face taking on an entire spare room like me, can you manage just one box, or one item from one box? Breaking down our goals into smaller wins, no matter how small, keeps us moving forward. Then rewarding ourselves for this achievement provides a dopamine rush and sets us up for the next win. Before you know it, you’re on a roll, life is improving and you’re feeling better about other things too.
Moving forward in life, whether it be big wins like getting a new job, cracking your PB in the gym or learning a new skill, or smaller wins like just managing to make your bed today, it all counts. And it’s not about comparing yourself to others, or more realistically, what you see (or think you see) others doing. What matters is that you’re moving forward, making an improvement over your yesterday, this morning or 10 minutes ago. We’re all human and therefore we all struggle at times, slip up and occasionally are too low to contemplate making changes. If the latter is you right now, please remember to reach to Building Block 1: Nutrition, and I suggest adding in a little of our Toolkit: Sleep and Movement / Exercise. These are key for you to find the motivation to make the bigger wins. I know from experience that it can be hard enough to get off the sofa to make yourself a decent meal, but this is the very thing that you need the most when feeling like this, and you will feel better instantaneously.
So if you’re not feeling so strong right now, maybe you can set yourself the goal of making one decent meal that is nutritionally dense and will support your mental health. It doesn’t have to be complicated. I recommend baked salmon (ideally wild salmon) with loads of spinach and other steamed veggies. Why? The salmon contains good omega-3 fats which are important for brain structure and function. It also contains vitamin D, which calms inflammation and is great for depression and low mood. The spinach and other veggies contain antioxidants and polyphenols, which support the functioning of your body and detoxification. They also contain magnesium, which is nature’s wonder-drug for promoting calm and relaxation, and is extremely important in mental health. I could go on… 😛
If you’re in a better place, why not make a spring to do list and also a list of rewards for yourself when you tick off each task? Maybe you could pair the bigger wins with bigger rewards? I’d love to hear what’s on your list, and what rewards you plan for yourself.
Until next time, enjoy the emergence of spring and the brighter days. 🌷
Well wishes,
Andie x