Spring Cleaning for Your Winter-Worn Mind
AKA, how better weather and longer days can be used to your mind’s advantage, and how boundary-setting should be this spring’s focus.
It’s that time of year again— it’s finally spring! With spring comes myriad new beginnings; baby birds chirping about, people “spring cleaning” their homes, prepping their gardens and the like… but what about your mind and mental health?
Many people suffer from SAD (or, “Seasonal Affective Disorder”) during the winter months, which is more commonly known as seasonal depression. What’s more— many people are discouraged from talking about it, or feel embarrassed about their struggling through the winter months. However, SAD is normal (and downright common, actually, with roughly 10 million Americans suffering from it every year), and it’s important to take the time you need to mentally (and physically) recover from it. That said, let’s talk about some “spring cleaning” for the mind to aid in the recovery process—
Spring cleaning for your mind: coming out of seasonal depression and finding peace
(*Disclaimer: it goes without saying that I’m not a physician, and ultimately seeing a doctor is the best course of action when it comes to depression or any other mental illness treatment. I see one myself and there’s no shame in it. In fact, it’s incredibly helpful. These are simply meant to be supplemental tips to help you get by— including ones I use myself to cope during the “harder” mental health times.)
“Shinrin-yoku,” or, “forest bathing.”
For one, I always find it beneficial to GET OUTSIDE once winter finally thaws. In Japan they call this process “shinrin-yoku,” which roughly translates to “forest-bathing.” In essence, the idea is that spending time outside, in the sun (which is a great source of much-needed Vitamin D that we’re often deprived of in the winter months) can help “spring clean” your mind, and ease your day-to-day stressors. Whether it’s moving your work station outside for those working from home to taking the time out of your day to actually hike/walk in nature (if you’re able), spending time outside is a simple, easy way to use the warming weather and longer days to your advantage when fighting off SAD and spring cleaning your winter-worn mind.
Resetting your boundaries.
Another area of focus for me every spring is boundary setting. During the winter months we can severely neglect ourselves; holidays, for example (spanning from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day) tend to be times where we shift focus off of ourselves and sometimes give a bit too much to others. That said, spring is as good a time as any to renew and reset boundaries that help protect your peace— because, like I always say, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
To back up for a second, let’s address a question many people ask when this discussion comes up: “what are boundaries and how do I set them?” — Simple answer, boundaries are parameters you set around relationships and social situations that make you feel more comfortable, empowered, and respected. A common boundary to set is something like, “No, I won’t do that right now,” when someone is asking you to stretch yourself too thin.
Other boundaries I often set include things like, “No, I’m not going out tonight, I need to focus on myself today,” or “No, I’m not comfortable with that” (which can apply to almost anything), or simply saying the magic word: “No.”
Setting boundaries may seem rude or awkward, but why? Why is it considered rude to take care of yourself, to not make yourself feel intensely uncomfortable all the time, to not be forced to do things you don’t want to do, etc? This is a great resource on boundary-setting and why, again, things like boundary-setting and self-care are not selfish, and if you’re interested in diving deeper/practicing this in your daily life, I suggest this awesome read.
So, what do you do to spring clean your mind? I’m all about the warmer weather, and I’d love to hear your self-care and coping tips as we come out of the winter months and into the light.
Xoxo, MM.