As we get through Spring many people take this season as an opportunity to get their life back on track for the summer. You have probably heard of the phrase “Spring Cleaning,” that along with many other activities to engage in not only to better your environment, but also yourself in these spring months. 

After being inside for multiple long and cold months, the weather is beginning to warm up meaning people can start to gain physical activity outdoors. Whether you enjoy walking, running, or biking, you can visit trails at various locations including Stoney Creek Metropark, Yates Park, Paint Creek Trails, and many more.  

Even if you are not in the mood for immense physical activity, there are other things that you can do outdoors as you breathe in the fresh air and experience warmer temperatures. In Armada at Vanhoutte farms, they grow flowers, fruits, and vegetables. With over forty types of different flowers, they allow guests to make their own bouquets providing you with a large mason jar to place your flowers in and take home with you. One jar is $12, and two jars are sold for $20, which is completely worth the price for the number of flowers you can fit in one jar. 

If you are more of an indoor type of person, you can work to recharge and reset your routines during springtime. During this time, allergies begin to become common causing some people to stay inside as the pollen makes its way through the air. A good activity to do is a deep clean of your home. Even though it may sound boring, there are multiple benefits to doing this as you press the “restart” button on your home.  

You can start off your spring cleaning by going through your clothes and shoes, getting rid of the things you have either forgotten about or simply would not wear again. You can then donate the things that you plan to get rid of and feel a sense of joy by giving back to others. By getting rid of the clutter around your home you can also relieve stress that has been bottled up throughout the winter. While doing this you are not only pressing the reset button on your home but also your mind, creating a clean and new environment to spend your time in.  

Something else that you should try in order to better yourself is limiting your screen time. There is no reason to be spending substantial amounts of time on your phone if you have plenty of other things to involve yourself in. Most people’s main use of their phone is to manage their social media accounts, yet they do not know how negative social media can be. Excessive use leads to comparisn and makes you look up to a false reality. If you want to work on yourself, social media is not the place to be unless you are aware of the damage it can cause and are able to limit how much time is spent on it.  

To grow your mind, you should try to find a new hobby. This could be a yolga class, biking on different trails, getting a new job, gardening, the list goes on. This will reduce your boredom by giving you something to do with your spare time and if you enjoy this hobby you will now have something to look forward to. To some, hobbies are considered a mental escape and a place they can find happiness without focussing on their worries. Hobbies can lead to benefits physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, or give you a chance to show your creativity. You will know that a hobby is right for you if you feel as though you can disconnect from other aspects in your life and just focus on what you are doing, for example, painting how you feel and putting your emotions onto a canvas.  

As well as watching the flowers bloom outdoors, feeling the weather become warmer, having longer hours of sunlight, and having a better mental state, spring offers us an oppurtunity to become “renewed.” The months of winter being spent indoors tends to cause people to feel seasonal depression, and this is the time it begins to fade away. This season is a complete mood booster for the reasons listed above and by participating in the activites listed, you can spend your spring involving yourself in new and fun experiences. Your happiness depends on your internal environment, wether it is yourself or your home, so be sure to do what makes you feel the best.