Spring is always such a welcome change after those last few dreary weeks of the winter. It’s so nice to get outside without having to wear a zillion layers or worrying about icy roads and shoveling snow. Spring is a time for rebirth and change and it holds the promise of the warmer, longer days ahead. I love spring but after so many months of semi-hibernating, I feel like I need to do some things to help get me in the spirit. A little nurturing and self care is a great way to jump into the new season so you call fully enjoy all that it has to offer.

6 Self Care Ideas for a Happy, Healthy Spring

Do a Detox or Cleanse: All of that comfort food and wine may have felt good during those winter months but perhaps not so much now that spring is in the air. A detox or cleanse does not have to be extreme (meaning no drinking just juice for three days straight or taking a crazy amount of supplements). Eat real whole foods, including A LOT of vegetables and some fruit. Eliminate sugar, wheat, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, starches like potatoes, corn and rice and processed foods (sorry, no salty snacks or pasta). Drink tons of water to flush all that crap out of your system. Even 5 to 7 days of this will help you feel really good. Honestly, it’s amazing what eliminating just sugar out of your diet can do for you. If you want to take it up a notch there are more intense detox programs like those from Metagenics and Standard Process. It’s always best to do these under the supervision of a health care professional who knows your health history.

Spray/Self Tan: The thought of exposing my skin to the world after covering up all winter is really unpleasant. Practically every spa or salon offers a spray tan service and I always feel better with a little subtle glow, especially when it comes time to get into my Easter outfit. I also love doing at DIY job at home with a high quality self-tanner like Coola’s Self Tanning Body Serum. I used this self tanner last summer and it’s been the best I have used thus far and I’ve been self tanning since the 80s. The key to great looking tan is to make sure you exfoliate first!

Do a Massive Clothing Purge: The changing of seasons is a great time to clean out and refresh your closet. This is an opportunity to be relentless. Get rid of anything you didn’t wear over the fall and winter and purge anything that you no longer like or don’t think you’ll wear over the warmer months. This is also a great way to figure out what you need for the new season. If you’re looking for some guidance on cleaning out anything, including clothing, I really like Emily Ley’s book A Simplified Life or Marie Kondo’s book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Road Trip: I’m not talking about a cross-country trip to a five star resort, but just doing something to get a change of scenery. The weather is improving. It’s easier to get out. We’ve been cooped up in our houses for WAY too long. It’s a good time to plan a little day trip and mix things up. I like a family hike and then enjoying lunch at a new place or grabbing coffees and going for scenic drive along our beautiful coastline. Get creative and have some fun with but just get yourself out there!

Try a New Class: Exercise, meditation, yoga art, music, language, continuing education. You name it! If you can’t find or are uncomfortable with in-person classes, there are so many option available via online or Zoom now. I recently took an online foraging/herbalism class. I did this simply for my own pleasure and to broaden my own personal knowledge. It was really interesting and I actually learned a lot, but most of all, it just made me happy.

Get or Give Yourself a Facial: All that winter weather and dry air is rough on your skin. A facial can help give dull post-winter skin a nice refresh but it’s also really relaxing and pampering. It just feels good! While it’s not as relaxing, you can certainly give yourself your own facial by amping your existing skincare routine. If you’re not up for a facial then treat yourself to a new facial product(s) that you’ve been wanting to try.

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