Shifting Perspective From Stigma to Strength
If you’re like me, you might get excited when spring hits and we gain more sunlight. Although we lose an hour of sleep, looking forward to more daylight, time outdoors and the meltdown that brings new life is so exciting each year. For midwesterners, winter is a season that comes with challenges. Many look forward to the seasonal affective gloom fading, being outside in the warmer weather.
When daylight savings happens in March, we spring forward. But what if we took that approach with life, doing that every morning — regardless of the season?
What would it take for you to begin your day with the lessons of yesterday? This is an intentional practice of asking yourself each day, “What will I do today that moves me forward one step? What did I learn yesterday that makes me wiser for tomorrow?”
We all have personal-development needs. It’s nearly impossible to manage all areas of wellness simultaneously. The four quadrants to wellbeing include physical, mental, social and spiritual health.
Your physical domain is about how well you manage your body and physical health. This includes sleep, nutrition, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
Your mental health includes your thoughts, narratives about life, awareness and regulation of feelings, and your beliefs about self and others.
Your social health is seen through how you manage relationships in your life. This may be intimate relationships, family, work relationships, friendships and your connections in your personal community.
Finally, your spiritual health is about your relationship with God, the values you uphold and the meaningful things you create and appreciate in your experience. Faith, prayer and purpose are all parts of this quadrant of health.
Spring is often a time for renewal. You can observe this in the rain that washes away the dirt from winter and the new life forming outside. You can hear birds and notice the insects reappearing in nature. Your energy tank increases as the darkness fades, replaced with added hours of light.
If you decided to create an intention ritual each morning, how would this renewal practice affect your health?
You could nurture new self-care habits that affect how you take care of yourself (physical).
You might develop thoughts of gratitude, nurturing joy with your renewal practice (mental).
You may consciously see the best in others, taking time to learn from those around you (social).
You could thank God more, seeing His hand in your blessings and grace in the wisdom that comes from working through the hard days (spiritual).
As the snow melts and the rain brings color to new plant life, take some time to assess what area of your wellbeing needs renewal. Identify the habits that need development. When you uphold your contract to be the best version of you, you will nurture your alignment with these changing habits.
I often tell people that suffering is a gift. At first people think I am feeding them pollyanna optimism. But after reflecting on the wisdom and gifts that come from pain, many agree with that philosophy.
When difficult people, moments or seasons occur, you have the opportunity to strengthen endurance and persevere. You cannot develop resilience if you have nothing difficult to work through in your life. Your values are most helpful in the hardships that grow you.
When you look outside as the days pass by in April, remember your goals. Spring forward each day, knowing that you are capable of creating new health habits. You can improve your relationships, bringing more connection and meaning to the days ahead. As you gain mastery with your goals, you have opportunities to use that wisdom to make an impact on the lives of those around you.
Don’t just get by. Decide to live fully! Spring forward each day. Be a person who welcomes growth with each struggle, lesson and interaction. A little extra spring in your step will make all the difference in your experience.