Refresh the start of your day with a spring uplift

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Spring is here! It’s a season of new beginnings. Follow nature’s call by by adding a little kick to the start of your day. Below are seven fresh start ideas to incorporate into your morning. Choose one and soon you’ll be feeling more joy and satisfaction throughout the day.

Before you begin, you need a strategy on how to stick with a fresh start. Author, James Clear, who wrote the New York times best seller, Atomic Habits, says, ”hundreds of studies have shown that implementation intentions are effective for sticking to our goals.” According to Clear, if you make a specific plan, you are more likely to follow through. He says including behavior, time, and location gives your new habit time and space “to live in the world.” Once you start, studies show that the repetition (experts say it takes 21 days to create a habit) gives you the “urge to do the right thing at the right time, even if you can’t say why.”

Here are seven fresh start ideas to choose from. You can do pretty much any of these outdoors for an extra vitamin D boost. Each idea includes an example of an implementation intention using the Atomic Habits formula. Be sure to customize the intention to meet your needs.

Fresh Starts and Implementation Intentions

  1. Give yourself some love. Do one of your favorite things first. This could be as simple as sipping a cup of tea outside or taking a short morning walk. Intention: I will take a 20 minute walk each day at 7 am in my neighborhood.

  2. Cultivate spiritual well-being. The interest in this area of well-being has grown leaps and bounds since the pandemic. You have many online free or nominal cost meditation and mindful apps to choose from. Also, check out the spiritual hashtag on Instagram for more options. Intention: I will meditate for 20 minutes each day at 7 am near my picture window.

  3. Try gentle fitness. Virtual gentle fitness is on the rise. These online classes are abundant, affordable (many free) and convenient. You’ll find a myriad of short mind-body classes such as yoga, pilates, and stretching that offer lovely morning practices to ease you into the day. Intention: I will do a 20 minute stretching practice each day at 7 am in my backyard.

  4. Fall in love with your breath. Breathwork is among the top wellness trends and a powerful way to manage stress. You’ll find many online options for breathing practices. Also, some fitness trackers include breathing exercises. Intention: I will do 10 minutes of breathwork each day at 7 am outdoors.

  5. Get some clarity for your day. Write out your to-do list and make sure you include one self-care item. Productivity experts suggest no more than 5 items and 3 is even better. Begin each item with an action verb. Prioritize your list by asking what would make the biggest difference in my life today. Go easy on yourself by thinking of your to-dos as things you choose to do rather than have to do. Intention: I will create a to-do list each day at 7 am on my front porch.

  6. Read something inspiring. A simple way to do something for yourself, learn something new, or ease into your day. Intention: I will read inspiring literature for 20 minutes at 7 am on my deck.

  7. Fuel up with greens. Give your body a boost of energy with a green smoothie. This trend is one that keeps on giving with thousands of recipes online. Make it the night before to give yourself more time to sip in leisure. Intention: I will drink a green smoothie each day at 7 am outdoors.

Help yourself out by writing down your implementation intention and placing it somewhere prominent such as your fridge, planner, or bathroom mirror. Remember, change takes time. Persistence is where the magic happens. And if it’s not always doable outside, choose a quiet location in your home near a picture window or inspiring artwork.

Wishing you all a beautiful spring with plenty of fresh starts!