“Spring is nature’s way of saying, Let’s party!” – Robin Williams
By now, most of our January New Year’s Resolutions have fallen by the wayside. (Don’t feel bad. Only 10% of people actually keep them.) Spring Resolutions make more sense. For me, springtime is when it really feels like the new year. With more hours of sunlight, warmer weather and vibrant colors to brighten our days, it’s no wonder many of us are beginning to feel a new “spring” in our step.
Whether you are a brand new mom with a budding newborn to tend to, or a mom with a garden of little blossoms already running around, spring is the perfect time to renew, refresh, and get your groove on.
Here are six Spring Resolutions to refresh and renew your life – they’re sure to help make your winter doldrums a thing of the past.
1. If you want to make changes, take it in steps. All right, you try on your old lighter weight clothes, and all you can see is that they don’t quite fit the way you want. Face it: We all put on winter weight. It’s natural. We need more calories because of the colder weather, and so we eat more and higher carb foods to keep warm. For me, my first tendency is to Ugh myself into promising a huge new exercise routine, which of course, I don’t have time for.
New attitude: “Hey, you’re looking pretty good for the end of the winter.” Accentuate the positives, as the song goes. Start with baby steps. Promise yourself a ten-minute routine in the mornings, maybe a simple fun dance DVD that gets you moving for the day. As you build up stamina, you may want to lengthen your routine. No time? A ten minute workout is better than none. Take plenty of moments to honor your progress with a big “Way to go!”
2. Color therapy for you and your wardrobe. It’s a fact that colors affect our moods. Most of us have spent the past several months covered up head-to-toe in heavy grays, blacks and browns. Want an instant boost? Turn to vibrant high-energy colors like pinks, greens, yellows, oranges, and blues. We all have certain colors that make us feel happy and more energized. These are usually the colors that make us feel beautiful, too. Try out a new color that makes you pop. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Go for a simple t-shirt, new lip color or nail polish. All for under $20.
3. Get outside and play. Take advantage of the warmer weather and longer daylight to reconnect with your body. Go for walks. Spend more time at the playground with your children. Act like French moms, who have their own playtime on the benches talking with each other, while their kids run wild and are forced to fend for themselves. Amazingly, this works.
4. Try something new you’ve always wanted to do. Whether it’s trying out a dance class or yoga, or a new park to explore, give yourself permission to do something you want to do, that is just for you. Feel free to flit around like a butterfly. If you try something new and don’t like it, drop it and find something you really like. Enjoyment is the key to springtime renewal.
5. Eat more fresh foods. Good nutrition affects mood, energy and beauty. “It’s what’s inside that counts” is really true. Want that special glow even after pregnancy? Take advantage of the spring harvest with delicious beauty foods like asparagus, strawberries and cherries. Asparagus is known as the ultimate detox vegetable. Strawberries are high in Vitamin C, which produces collagen and prevents wrinkles. Cherries are considered both a brain and beauty food, with some of the highest levels of antioxidants of all fruits.
6. Laugh and reconnect. Social life been sluggish during winter hibernation? It’s time to connect with friends. Try to make a weekly or monthly date with your girlfriends – and keep it. We moms tend to be overly obligatory to responsibility, and under obligatory to fun. But without a good dose of fun and laughter, life gets dull and so do we. Moms, we owe it to ourselves to book fun into our busy schedules. Every spring flower needs plenty of water, air and sunshine – and so do we.
Ciao,
Princess Ivana
www.princessivana.com
Ivana is a modern princess married to a real Italian prince! Follow the Modern Princess on Facebook and Twitter 2PrincessIvana.
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