New Season- New Outlook
April 6, 2008 by laura
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Many people (and whole cultures) consider spring to be the start of the new year. Everything new and clean…it makes a lot of sense, to think of spring as a new start. Breathing the spring air, already gives the sense of renewal.
So its a great time to think of new projects, whether they are focused on getting healthy – or something entirely different. For me, getting rid of whatever current ailment is attacking my system is always the priority. So instead, I am going to concentrate on other activities that occur during the spring.
Spring is a time to get out of the house. I don’t care if you aren’t able to walk 10 miles….or if you aren’t able to walk 2 blocks. Go for a walk if you can. If you can’t find an activity that you can do outside. Gardening is a great activity. Or take a book outside. Too tired to read? Slap on some sunscreen, put on your sunnies, and sop of some rays. I know that is an activity we can all do. Going to be affected by allergies? Take an antihistamine before you go outside. The city air is too polluted? Take your oxygen tank with you. These may seem kind of ridiculous. But I hear all kinds of reasons for people not leaving their house…and they have NOTHING to do with being scared of the outside world. I am trying to say, is that for every obstacle you face, there is a reasonable solution.
Here is a list of some of the things that I plan to work on this spring.
* create an herb garden
* work on my walking program -which fell to the wayside due to some strange health issues. This is going to consist of 1 hr of walking everyday (not all at once), and on Sunday’s walk the Stanley Park sea wall – as long as it doesn’t rain. I do not need another bout of pneumonia.
* learn to cook more vegetable based meals (properly) and without setting things on fire.
* keep my house looking like I had just finished spring cleaning for the entire season, and not just the first week that I did it.
I have already started with the new spring regime, and added to the stuff I started from the new year. This gives me a lot of stuff to work on. But I thrive when my plate is at its fullest.
Now that spring is here, what changes are you going to incorporate?
I do the “new year’s” thing in spring too. Seems far more appropriate to use the metaphysical and actual energy rise (my energy levels seem to correspond with season) to do the changes. Just this past weekend, I took down last year’s collage-of-goals, and made a new one. I find using pictures instead of a word list is more engaging – and it takes longer, so it sinks in more
. I have the collage up on my wall, over my dresser, and use it during the year as a focal point during some of my meditations (this year’s collage even looks almost mandala-like).
This year’s goals include things like drinking more water on a regular basis, gaining strength, clearing out the clutter, and making some money. Some of the goals I have no (conscious) control over (being more alert/needing less sleep; DH making enough money we can afford someplace with a garden and a view…) but having them up there is a way to feel like I’m still “doing something” about the want.
Jenna,
sounds like some pretty good goals to me. Making more money and moving into a place with a view is one of my goals this season too. And so is actually most of your other ones.
I like the collage idea. I agree that pictures are often better – but for me, words are faster, and a little more convenient – ie easier. So for now anyway I am sticking with words. But I like that you do the picture thing.
Do you take your own pictures – or find them from other sources?
At the moment I use Google’s Image search – and page through until I find something that clicks with what I was trying to convey. Sometimes it takes a lot of synonyms… One day my Drawing goal will work out to being good enough to make my own points! (Just starting that one!)