End of Winter, Beginning of Spring - 4 Easy Ways to Jump Start Essential Self-Care

Has your self-care taken a back seat this winter? Spring is in the air and it's time to revamp your mind, body, spirit routine. Here's a few extremely powerful ways to say goodbye to the long cold days of winter and bring the warm sunshine and blue skies back into your life.

1. Eat WellWinter's all about keeping warm and enjoying comfort food with hearty soups and stews, chicken and dumplings, and macaroni and cheese. Now that the birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming, you'll feel better and more alive when you replace foods with little or no nutritional value with food and snacks that are rich in nutrients. There's nothing like the bright, colorful, and crisp produce of spring. Enjoy the weather, be green, and head out to your local farmer's market, or start your own vegetable garden. Early spring goodies include kumquats, leeks, spinach, spring onions, salad greens, oranges, and grapefruit.

2. Take Care of Your FeetSpringtime means trees bloom, flowers bud, and women - liberated from socks and shoes - get footloose and fancy-free in open-toed sandals and backless heels. Whether you're a man or woman, if your feet are neglected and dry from a long spell of cold winter weather, it's time to pamper your tootsies. Treat your feet to the spa for a footbath and a pedicure. Tender loving foot care is not only reasonably affordable, but you'll love how absolutely good you feel when your feet are pampered.

3. Spring Physical ActivityPerhaps more than any other season, spring brings with it a desire to get outside into the beautiful warmer weather. If you're used to going to the gym, shake things up by exchanging that indoor treadmill for vigorous walks around the park. And if you've been sedentary this winter due to months of frigid temperatures, now's the time to get outside and get healthy. Really, it feels good to get up out of the chair and move your body. Walk, bicycle, golf, or play tennis. Choose activities that are enjoyable rather than a chore.

4. Do What Matters Most
In life there's always a thousand and one things to do each day. Exhausted and sleep-deprived from non-stop activity, many people barely have enough time in the day to do everything on their never-ending to-do lists. Now that spring is in the air, slow down and do what really matters. Look beyond the obvious and focus on what matters most to YOU right now. Choose to live a life that matters by directing your energy into personally valued activities. At the end of each day, you will feel the satisfaction and peace of a day well-lived.

January may be a time for New Year's resolutions, but spring is when new energy fills your body, lifts your spirit, and inspiration flows. Take advantage of the higher motivation that spring offers and use it to your benefit. I challenge you to generate a plan for nurturing your physical, mental, and physical self. Relax into life, live your values, and share the joy that you are into the world.