Marching into Spring - Renewed Goals & Energy
Hello Everyone,
We made it! We made it to Spring! At the end of this month the clocks go forward and British Summer Time officially begins. Hurray. Wow the winter has been long hasn’t it? We were very lucky in that we had a holiday planned over the half term and it really helped to lift the oppressive feelings that the dark days can bring, by the time we came home I could feel the air had changed and everything just seemed lighter. Has it been the same for you? Have you felt the weight being slowly lifted from your shoulders as you leave work and it’s still not quite dark? I’m tempted to say that Spring is my favourite season, especially as we get ready for Easter. Whilst I’m no Stacey Solomon I love to get crafty at this time of year and to start getting out into the garden. Bringing fresh flowers into the house makes me feel really happy, just seeing the brighter, lighter colours really lifts my mood.
I also think Spring is a great time to really revisit your goals. Whilst we have all the best intentions in January, sometimes you have to listen to your body if things start to get tough and your motivation wanes during the winter. It’s hard to stay focussed in the dark, it’s hard to not want comfort food if you’re staying in and so I always think we should be kind to ourselves during the winter months and always allow a little leeway if we’re struggling to stay on track. The Spring is a wonderful time to reassess and to feel re energised. My husband is a personal trainer and he says that most people have more success from March onwards as the extra daylight hours help us to feel more motivated to exercise and eat well. So if you’ve had a tough time lately, don’t worry, as fitness instructor and founder of Owning Your Menopause, Kate Rowe-Ham said on one of our recent podcast episodes….”your body is a 365 day a year project”, I would also apply that to your wellbeing too, so there’s plenty of time to get realigned. Go back to your intentions & goals and see what steps towards progress you have made and congratulate your self on them and then put together a new action plan from this point onwards. I love a tick list! I set myself goals in my notes and then tick them off as I go. Sometimes it can take me a whole year before I tick something off but that’s ok, not everything happens quickly. Some things require lots of patience and gradual work and do take that bit longer to come to fruition. I also recently saw Emma Grede (Dragons Den & Skims co founder) talking about the rule of thirds which I really liked.
Emma proposes that if you are working hard towards something you’re going to be happy 1/3 of the time, you’ll also be alright 1/3 of the time and the other 1/3 you’ll probably feel a bit rubbish and that’s ok. We can’t always feel amazing and like we’ve got it together because that’s not how our brains work….and when you factor in our hormones it’s even more understandable. No one has everything, especially not all the time. We have to get used to the ebb and flow of life and build mental resilience and that starts by being realistic. So if you’re only smashing your goals and feeling successful 1/3 of the time it’s ok, if you keep persisting that 1/3 will eventually pave the way for success and the other thirds will help you grow and build mental resilience which means you are more likely to have long term success in whatever it is you’ve put your mind to. Just always remember when you’re scrolling, social media is a highlight reel of the best bits. So if you need to re-aligne this month be kind to your self and know you’ve still got plenty of time to achieve your 2024 goals and don’t forget you can head to our podcast where we’ve over 100 empowering conversations on health, wellbeing and mental health to support you on your journey.
Anyway I hope you all have a really lovely month and if you’re looking for a little bit of inspo to fill your cup, below are my Top 5 things for spreading a little happiness this March.
See you soon,
Natalie Xx
My March Top 5
What I’m Watching: I absolutely love Greta Lee! She is one of my favourites in The Morning Show and Past Lives on Netflix is just beautiful, a tale of first love catching up with you. If you loved One Day, I think you’ll really enjoy this.
What I’m Using: Trinny London, Be Your Best Enzyme Cleanser. I’ve said it before, a balm cleanser is my absolute go to for skincare and Trinny’s version is just gorgeous. I’ve previously had the gel cleanser which really brightened my skin but this new balm does the same job whilst feeling softer overall and cleans absolutely everything off.
What I’m Eating: Chicken Milanese with Rocket & Parmesan. I’m tempted to say after a good curry, this would be my final meal. It’s perfect for Spring and super tasty. Get the recipe here.
What I’m Reading: The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner. I saw this on an instagram book club and thought it sounded intriguing especially as I’m such a fan of female lead stories. This is highly addictive and if you like things like Little Fires Everywhere or Big Little Lies you’ll love this! Also it’s a great Mother’s Day gift idea.
What I’m Listening To: Dua Lipa Training Season. I love anything by Dua Lipa and after Houdini was ready to see what she had coming next. Training Season is a great track for the lighter drives home or for gym workouts.
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