Personal Springtime

Spring just can’t happen fast enough for most of us. But while we wait for the sun to come out and the temperatures to rise, here are some handy tips to create your own personal springtime:

Maximize your time in the sun:
- Even if it is still cold outside, the sun’s strength and warmth is returning; like the tulips poking out of the snow, find ways to reach out for these rejuvenating rays. On those days when the sun does come out, work in a sunny spot, or if your work requires you to sit away from a window, maximize your breaks to ensure that you get exposed to sunlight.
Go back to school:
- Spring means growth, and as part of nature, we have a constant need to grow. Recall your youth by taking a class, reading something educational, surfing the web to learn something new or watching a documentary on one of your favourite subjects. Studies show that active stimulation of the brain’s learning centres keeps us young.
Eat fresh fruit and vegetables:
- Nothing says spring like biting into a juicy strawberry or other fresh fruit. Shift away from winter comfort foods such as meats, pastas and other starches; instead, fill your plate with colourful and tasty fruit and vegetables. Not only will they perk up your appetite, they are full of vitamins and other antioxidants to keep you feeling full of energy!
Go outside:
- Replace winter cocooning with a walk in the park, a drive to a nearby community (with the windows slightly open), even just scraping the ice off of your driveway. Or stand in your snow-filled yard and plan your gardening projects for the year. Dare to remove some of your winter layers and let your skin rediscover fresh air.
Fill your home with fresh scents and colours:
- Use flowers, tropical plants, candles and room sprays to stimulate your olfactory senses; replace stale winter air by opening windows on warm days. And bring colour into your home by picking up a new pillow, placemats or a few colourful postcards. Spring cleaning is not just about removing dust that we didn’t see throughout the winter’s gloom; it gives you a chance to air things out, freshen linens and move your things around to maximize colour and shake things up a bit.