Embracing Spring: Self-Care Style

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Spring self-care is about using the season’s renewal to refresh your mind, body, and routine. As the snow melts and daylight grows, simple activities like hiking, gardening, and decluttering become powerful ways to reset your mental health. For many of us at Bayridge Counselling Centres, spring is the perfect time to reconnect with ourselves and embrace the outdoors after a long winter.

Mother nature may not know what’s going on weather wise, but winter appears to (finally!) be on its way out of the province and I for one couldn’t be more excited for a change in seasons. One of the nicest parts of spring’s return is the return of self-care options for those individuals who are like me and avoid going outside for extended periods in the winter. I’ve already bombarded my husband with the list of the different things that I want to do now that the warmer weather is approaching.

Taking care of myself is one of the things that I value the most in my life, but I always get the most excited to do it in the spring. The smell of the air, the blooming flowers and the sounds of the birds always remind me of starting fresh.

If this sounds good to you, or you just want some new ideas, here are a few of my (and my family’s) favourite things to do:

Hiking the Hills: A Spring Self-Care Staple

Now that the snow has disappeared, I love breaking out my hiking boots and going for a long walk. Being from Southern Ontario, there are so many exciting parts about hiking in the spring! The fresh flowers and the animals emerging from hiding are just the beginning of the natural wonders I get to experience. In many of the parks and trails I can see and walk around beautiful waterfalls, some flowing freely and others just breaking through the leftover snow and ice. I always find it invigorating to get some fresh air after being indoors most of the winter. If you find your too busy to build in a long hike, you can also go for a short walk on your lunch breaks. It’s the same fresh air but mixed with an increase in productivity (Young Entrepreneur Council, 2015) that your boss will enjoy almost as much as you! For more on how physical activity supports mental health, check out our post on why physical activity is good for your mental health.

Spring-Cleaning Garden Style: Gardening for Mental Clarity

When spring hits, it’s almost a guarantee that you’ll find my mother-in-law in her garden, dirt on her clothes and a grin on her face. Whether you’re a once-a-year gardener or you spend a lot of your free time in your garden like my mother-in-law, there is something about cleaning up the post-winter debris that feels like cleaning out your soul. For those of you who don’t have a garden to putter in, look within your community! Some cities have community areas that you can rent to create your own garden, while other cities have beautiful gardens that you can explore. Gardening is a form of mindfulness that can complement professional support—learn more about self-care for healthy living.

Spring-Cleaning Wardrobe Style: Decluttering for a Fresh Start

One of my favourite parts of the spring is the chance to go back through my closet and move those chunky knit sweaters and other winter clothes back to storage, while I get to replace them with the clothing items I’ve been missing all winter. I’ve been looking forward to unpacking my red spring jacket since the day I packed it away. It feels so empowering to be able to take control of my life, even if it is just my wardrobe. This small act of control can be a stepping stone to building healthier habits—see our guide on the three phases of forming a habit.

Spring-Cleaning House Style: Refreshing Your Space

There is a reason that Spring-cleaning is a phrase. Whether or not you like cleaning, there is something to be said about the renewed feeling when you get the chance to clean your house and put away all the winter items. Bonus, dusting today means that tomorrow you won’t be distracted by the dust highlighted by the sun when we open our curtains to let in those extra hours of sunshine! A clean space can reduce stress and improve focus—a simple habit that supports your overall well-being, as discussed in our article on 5 reasons why you need to form good habits.

Cycling the Cities: Active Transportation and Self-Care

Similar to the hiking, biking is a great way to get some fresh air, stay active, while also providing you a great mode of transportation to the places you probably missed going all winter. Myself, I like to double the self-care and bike to my favourite coffee shop for a special treat. If I can get a friend to do it with me, even better! Cycling also gives you a chance to explore your local community—something that can feel especially rewarding after months of being indoors.

When Self-Care Isn’t Enough: Seeking Counselling in Ontario

I hope you get out there to enjoy the spring weather today!