Spring is a time of growth and new life. Flowers start to bud and the trees turn green. After a dormant winter, things begin to perk up and shine. What better time to work on your own internal garden — the one that makes you YOU.

It’s Time to Bloom

There is really something about staying in sync with nature. Right now, it’s time to plant those seeds of new habits and then continue to water them until they thrive.

There are so many ways you can nurture yourself to bring out the best. By starting just a few new habits (and working to stick with them), you can become a totally refreshed version of yourself by the time the seasons change again!

To make it easier, we thought we’d give you a list of some ideas for simple daily changes that can motivate you toward the bigger ones you’ve probably been avoiding for a while.

Ten Simple Daily Changes For a Brighter You

1. Start your day with a full glass of water.
   • Add some lemon for extra benefits.
2. Take a few minutes each morning for some quiet meditation/prayer.
   • This can help get your mindset right for the rest of the day.
3. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol.
   • This will also help you stay hydrated since both are dehydrating.
4. Try to move for at least 15-20 minutes each day.
5. When you begin to stress about something, categorize it.
   • Is it something you can do something about or is it out of your control? If you determine that it’s out of your control, let it go.
6. Go for a walk.
   • Walks have so many benefits including opportunities to connect with nature, clear your mind, and even help with digestion. It also helps you meet the daily movement goal 😉
7. Set up a bedtime schedule.
   • Our bodies are built to follow a circadian rhythm which means they are supposed to wake up and go to sleep at the same time each day. When we are following this type of schedule, our bodies can function at their optimum level.
8. Practice Gratitude.
9. Breathe. Controlled breathing is so important and often overlooked.
   • Most of us don’t fill our lungs all the way because we only take short, shallow breaths. Focusing on our breath and allowing ourself to take full, deep breaths has tons of health benefits.
10. Let go of toxic thoughts.
    • Our brain can easily be wired to look at the world a certain way. If we focus on practicing positive thinking, our perspective of the world will change.

Nurture Yourself

When you’re planting a physical garden, you can’t expect to throw out some seeds and then just let nature do the rest of the work. You may get a few sprouts, but you’ll never achieve the beautiful garden you want unless you spend time nurturing it. You have to water it and feed it and be patient with it. The same is true when it comes to planting your own internal garden. You can plant the seeds by making changes, but you must make sure to continue to water those seeds each day. And don’t forget to have patience. A garden won’t grow overnight, but in time, you’ll notice how beautiful it has become.