Dorset Mind volunteer Annabel Goddard is encouraging us all to be hopeful, and to start making plans for when the weather really does improve
Unless you were lucky enough to spend your winter somewhere else in warm sunshine, it’s likely to have been a long, damp few months. The recent sparse bursts of sun have been a glimmer of what will hopefully be a wonderfully bright new season. While we wait for the weather to cheer up, here’s how we can make the most of the change in seasons.
Spring cleaning
Go beyond just scrubbing your bathroom – start refreshing your space. Having a clear out of your things can help you declutter mentally as well as physically. Even better, donate your cleared-out items to a charity shop near you: it’s a small deed that can do a lot of good for those who need it most.
If you’ve been putting off repainting or cleaning something in your home, now is a great time to do it. It doesn’t have to be a major task – a new candle or a bunch of flowers will make you smile.
Refresh your tech
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to begin and end in the home, either. Something that can go unnoticed is how much our tech get cluttered with useless notes, spam emails and screenshots. Set aside some time to go through your phone – deleting apps, redundant documents and photos which you don’t need anymore. This can give a sense of catharsis if you’ve held onto photos and notes which don’t bring you happiness – it could help to let go of these memories.
It might seem an insignificant thing, but taking the time for some unsubscribing and deleting can help reduce the bombardment in your phone – start prioritising time unplugged from social media.
Make plans
As the sun is (hopefully!)beginning to come out, use the time to start getting used to being outdoors again. Days are getting longer, and before we know it, summer will be here. If you’re struggling to wait until t-shirt weather returns, make yourself a ‘summer resolution’ – set yourself an activity you want to start doing in the warmer weather. It could be anything – painting outdoors, hiking, visiting new places … whatever you wish you’d done last summer. Start making an action plan now and you’ll be prepared for a new hobby by the time summer arrives.
Take the time
If you’re like me, you’ve been praying for a bit of sunshine since November. It could benefit you to make a bit of time to spend outside, just to feel the sun on your face and remind yourself that longer days are coming. As the sun starts setting later in the day, try to incorporate an evening walk into your routine.
The warmer days will follow, but we must remember to be grateful for what we have now.
See Dorset Mind’s 5 Ways to Wellbeing for further support.
