Spring brings with it warmer weather, elevated mood, and a sense of fresh, new things. As plants bloom, the world looks and feels brand new. For many, this season brings with it a drive to renew themselves as the world renews.
In the past year we’ve given suggestions for coping with Covid, setting goals for the new year, dealing with stress/trauma, and handling big emotions. Today, let’s focus on how to take steps toward being our best selves and live our best lives. \
Let’s not wait to do these things “when the pandemic is finally over.” There are several quick, small steps we can take each day that can have the same kind of effect as rivers have on rocks – little by little, the rocks gets smoother and smoother until one day, they are perfectly smooth.
Here are some suggestions for making small changes and taking small steps that can add up to big life changes over time:
- If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it right away instead of putting it off. For instance, wipe off the counter, take out the trash, put a few dishes in the dishwasher, etc.. Do not let these tasks pile up quickly to become large, stressful mountains of chores.
- Do 3 minutes of deep breathing (5 seconds in 5 seconds out) – research shows just a few minutes of this can lower anxiety and improve mood for several hours! Do this morning, afternoon, and night for best results.
- Add small amounts of fruits and/or vegetables to your meal(s). Instead of drastic diets that restrict things, try just adding something healthy to each meal. You may find that over time you eat less unhealthy things simply because your plate has more healthy items on it.
- Choose one activity to do mindfully every day. Whether your choose to focus fully on brushing your teeth, showering, walking to the mailbox, or mindful eating, choose something you do each day that you can use to ground yourself and help yourself focus on the moment fully.
- Take a couple of minutes at the end of your day to write or doodle in a journal. No rules, just let your brain pour out whatever it wants at the end of your day. You might find yourself sleeping lighter!
Do try these small steps each day and watch life get smoother, like those river rocks!
Maria Karimova, MS, LLP
Originally published for the Saline Post on April 16, 2021
