10 ways to spring into renewal

It has taken some time for the warm weather to take hold, and a dreary spring can definitely get you down. But now is a great time for a season of renewal.

While it can be challenging to find ways to get energized with the inconsistent weather, here are 10 things that you can do to renew your energy and shift into healthier emotional and mental spaces any time of the year.

1. Walk outside for at least 20 minutes. Especially when it's sunny, take a walk. And work out 30 minutes a day, three times a week. Exercise is well-documented natural anti-depressant, and the sun is a natural source of vitamin D, which helps us have healthier bones. Putting these two together is a double win especially when you pair a great sunscreen with your walks.

2. Meditate or do a guided visualization once a day. Being able to imagine how you would like your day to go is a powerful exercise in becoming grounded and consciously choosing the experience you want to have throughout your day. For example, if you visualize your day being calm, it is harder to make choices that will lead you toward conflict and easier to make choices that will guide you away from it.

3. Journal at least twice a week.This helps you release some of the thoughts and ideas that may clutter your mind. It also allows you to move heavier emotions or energy out so you can gain perspective. There's something to be said about seeing your thoughts, ideas, and fears written to help you decide if things are as bad as they seem, which can often lead to acting on them.

4. Get an emotional wellness checkup every six months. You should have a primary therapist with whom you work — similar to a primary care physician. This should be someone who is familiar with your background well enough that they can identify and address the emotional, mental or psychological blocks impacting your well-being, should it arise. This allows you to maintain your mental health and keep your mind running smoothly.

5. Identify two results you would like to achieve within 30 and 60 days. Stay away from goals — they almost never work consistently. Look, instead, for results. Results are often far more obtainable and help you inadvertently achieve and maintain your goals without feeling guilty or overwhelmed. For example, instead of saying you want to lose 30 pounds this month, frame it as a result like: I would like to fit into size 6 jeans or I would like to lower my blood pressure. From here, you can determine more of the smaller, sustainable things you can do to achieve that result. If you want to fit into your size 6 jeans, you can diet, exercise and pray for the mercy fairy to melt the excess weight away. Since the last one is less likely to happen, you can begin with saying I want to eat fruit three times a day and sugar two times a day for 30 days. You'd be surprised at how much weight you can actually lose just by doing that! You could later add on to that I will walk on the treadmill one day a week for 30 minutes and see where that takes you.

6. Declutter your paper. Shredding is our friend! Paper holds a lot of energy — especially junk mail. Get in the habit of clearing out your mail and getting rid of bills, invoices, and statements that are up to date. Shredding is an amazing way to safely get rid of paper containing sensitive information. If you don't have a personal shredder that you can use (or if you have more than your personal shredder can handle) check to see when your town or local chamber of commerce is holding a free shredding day.

7. Clear out your closets. Along the lines of shredding, get rid of stuff that you haven't worn in three years. Truth be told it may very well be outdated. If they are in good condition, you can donate it to a nonprofit or church, but if you're not into donations, I guess you can toss it.

8. Make your bed every day. There's a reason for this, I promise. When you make your bed in the morning it gives you a sense that you completed at least one thing that day, makes your room look neater, and starts your day with a sense of purpose. Besides, there's no denying how good it feels crawling into a well-made bed at the end of the day.

9. Plan a trip — even if it's a local day trip. Go somewhere different and do something new. Heck, go somewhere different and do the same thing, just go somewhere different! Seeing the world brings you new experiences, awareness and understanding of how the world works on a larger level. You are exposed to new ways of thinking and understanding not only other people, but yourself. This leads to compassion, wisdom, discernment, and peace. Walking, hiking, running, eating or window shopping are just a few things that can cost very little, but yield a large return.

10. Connect with someone and have a positive conversation. The world is drowning in chaos and negativity now more than ever. Find someone with whom you can have a positive conversation for at least 30 minutes and see how much better and hopeful you feel. If you really want to stretch yourself, just smile and say hello to people you don't know as you walk past them. Positivity is more contagious than negativity so if you're going to be contagious, be positively contagious!

There you have it, 10 timeless things you can do to spring into renewal any time of the year. I hope you found this helpful and put it to good use.

• Jinnie Cristerna is a licensed clinical social worker, clinical hypnotherapist, an ordained minister, and RoHun doctor based in Schaumburg. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Delphi University, and the Wellness Institute, she has practiced psychotherapy for 27 years. She specializes in abuse, trauma, women and minority issues, depression, anxiety, inner child healing and DID. To learn more, visit www.HighAchiever.net.