We all think of spring cleaning our homes, but this time of year can be so much more. This season symbolizes renewal, growth and rejuvenation. It’s a season associated with blooming flowers and warmer weather - it’s a time for a new beginning. Let’s look at some ways you can move mindfully through this season to feel rejuvenated and ready to take on summer!
Dust Off Those Vision Boards
It’s been a few months since we all made our New Year’s goals - time to dust off those vision boards! Take some time to reflect on your goals and progress, reprioritize tasks and let go of anything that isn’t serving you. And yes, it’s okay for priorities to change.
As we think about spring cleaning, think about how you can also declutter your mind and embrace the opportunity for personal growth. Meditation and breath work is an amazing tool that can help you center your thoughts and check in on how you’re feeling. Here is a quick 5-minute deep breathing exercise to get you started:
- Find a comfortable seated position.
- Close your eyes and place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly deflate.
- Repeat for 5 minutes, focusing on your breath and allowing your body to relax.
Journaling can be another helpful tool to organize thoughts and emotions. There are also online groups across social media, and in-person groups in many cities, that offer a safe place to connect. If you are on Facebook, I love the group The Scribe Your Destiny Club. It is a private group of women who desire to transform their lives through intentional journaling, affirmations, and mindfulness. Being a part of a group with similar goals fuels creativity and helps you feel inspired and motivated to get to know yourself on a deeper level. Journaling is healing. It’s a way to dump your ideas onto the page. It helps you become more organized with your thoughts and reduces stress levels.
Need a pretty journal to inspire you? Check out some the amazing our favorite Black-woman owned brands - Be Rooted, Ivory Paper Co, Aya Paper Co and La Muse Paper Palace.
Refresh Your Self-Care & Skin-Care Routine
As spring ushers in renewal, consider refreshing your self-care routine. Update your skin-care routine to adjust to the changing weather, focusing on hydration and sun protection. And yes, melanin-rich skin still needs sunscreen!
Refreshing your skincare routine is crucial because the change in seasons often bring warmer temperatures, increased humidity, or different allergens can impact your skin. Adapting your skincare routine helps address the changes, preventing issues like dryness, breakouts, or sensitivity.
Check out our article Nourish Your Melanin for for more about the importance of hydration, healthy food choices and supplements that specifically support melanin-rich skin.
Spend Time In Nature
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that we spend 93% of our time indoors! We’re missing out on so much nature has to offer - from less anxiety to lower blood pressure and a stronger immune system.
Spending time outside can give your mood a major makeover. Research shows that soaking up some natural light can melt away stress and give your happiness levels a boost. So this is your push! It's time to shed those layers and spend some time outside. Nature is a powerhouse of healing vibes waiting to revitalize your spirit.
Whether you're hiking, going for a jog or going for a walk - we are reclaiming our outdoor spaces! If you’re not the sweating type, even sitting outside for a few minutes is enough to take in the benefits. Here’s a few ides on how you can incorporate more outside time into your busy schedule:
- Schedule 10 minutes twice a day to walk outside. If you’re schedule is packed, spend the last part of your lunch or dinner break walking outside.
- Move a meeting or take a call outside. If you’re going to be stuck in meetings, at least let it be outside!
- Find outdoor meetups in your area - we’ve seen picnics, walking groups and more.
- Bring more nature into your living space by incorporating plants and leaving windows open as much as possible.
The key is to find what lights you up and makes you feel alive. Just get outside, and let nature work its magic on you!
Nourish Your Body
This season offers fresh produce that can breathe new life into your meals. Load up on nutrient-packed fruits and veggies to fuel your body and satisfy your taste buds. Let’s work on our colorful plates!
Here's a quick list of some of our faves that are currently in season:
- In-season fruits: strawberries, cherries, apricots, pineapples, mangoes, and kiwis.
- In-season vegetables: asparagus, artichokes, peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, and carrots.
We’re always here for our organic product, but for those of us on a budget it’s important for us to know which product we should buy organic and which ones we can save on.
- Opt for organic varieties of the 2024 "Dirty Dozen" to minimize exposure to pesticides. These include berries, spinach, kale, apples, grapes, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, and peppers.
- For non-organic options, you can feel safer choosing from the 2024 "Clean Fifteen," which have lower pesticide residues. These include avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, sweet potatoes, onions, asparagus, kiwi, carrots and papayas.
By incorporating seasonal produce into your meals, you can nourish your body and support everything for skin health to your immune system.
Stay Consistent With Supplements
While this season brings more sunshine and fresh produce, taking daily vitamins remains crucial for maintaining optimal health. Despite spending more time in the sun, our bodies may still lack essential nutrients. As a reminder, an estimated 80-90% of people of color are Vitamin D deficient, largely because our melanin limits our ability to absorb and produce Vitamin D from the sun.
Also, while we focus on eating healthy, there are likely still nutrients that you’re missing. Modern farming practices have depleted soil minerals, making it harder to obtain all the micronutrients we need from food alone. Incorporating a multivitamin into your routine can help you get the nutrients and vitamins you need to support gut health, energy levels, skin and hair health and overall wellness. If you’re looking for an easy way to incorporate the nutrients you need, check out our Daily Essentials multivitamin for women of color.