It’s March, and for those of us in the U.S., that means springtime!

I love spring. It’s so full of promise and new growth. It’s also a great time to take a look at making some changes in your chronic life!

I’d like to encourage you to look at a few areas of your life and give a little love to each!

6 Areas of your chronic life that could use some spring cleaning:

Diet

Get rid of heavy comfort foods. We run to heavy comfort foods when it’s cold outside but it’s time to substitute fresh, seasonal veggies and fruits.
Clean out your pantry. Toss trigger foods that will set your symptoms flaring or set you off track on a day of unhealthy eating.
Toss out the fad diet you started on New Year’s Day. Instead, decided to eat clean, whole foods. You’ll reap better long-term results!

Quit the negative self-talk. The negativity coming from our inner critic can result in decreased motivation, relationship challenges, and depression. Eliminate it now!
Complete a brain dump. Getting all the loose, random thoughts out of your brain and on paper will help lower stress and allow you to focus better.
Start a gratitude journal. This simple exercise has been proven to improve mental health, increase empathy for others, contribute to better sleep, and increase self-esteem. You can’t beat those results achieved from a simple daily 5-minute exercise.

Connect with a friend. Laughing and catching up can do quite a bit at reducing our stress levels. It’s also a great reminder that we’re not in this alone. Give a call to a friend – or better yet, schedule a lunch date!
Put limits on toxic relationships. Decide to reduce the time spent with family and friends that are always draining you by establishing healthy boundaries.
Show love, gratitude, and appreciation more often. Acknowledging the pain felt by others and rejoicing with them during their good times allows us to participate in a give and take relationship instead of one where we’re always on the receiving end.

Toss things you haven’t worn in over a year. If you didn’t wear that summer top at all last year, toss it. Odds are you aren’t going to wear it this year either.
Pick one new trendy piece. Keeping staple pieces as the basis for your wardrobe is always a smart idea but throwing in a new trendy piece can update those staples for a fresh new look.
Choose classy comfort. There are so many options for comfortable clothing that don’t make us look frumpy. Pick things you can wear on the couch all day but won’t make you shudder in shame if someone unexpectedly knocks at your door.

Dump the junk. Getting rid of clutter can help increase your productivity and allow more time for things you enjoy.
Have a welcoming atmosphere. Having less to manage will allow you to keep your home neater which allows you less stress when it comes to having visitors.
Add some seasonal decor. Even adding one little seasonal element can change the feel to a room and give a wonderful boost to your mood.

Let go of bitterness and unforgiveness. Unresolved issues affect all of your relationships – including our relationship with the Savior. God’s word tells us to let go of the past in the same way He has forgiven us.
Reconcile when possible. In the same way, it takes our repentance to bring us into a relationship with the Lord it takes repentance and change to reconcile our earthly relationships as well.
Cultivate joy. We end up spending quite a bit of time alone or missing out on the fun things in life – spending time in God’s word, especially the Psalms, confirms that God has not forgotten about us or left us alone.
Focus on your worth in Christ’s eyes. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior you are a daughter of the King of Kings. He loved you so much He sent His son to suffer an unspeakable death in order to bridge the gap and establish a personal relationship with you. Yes, you, my friend, are valued, loved, fought for, created, cherished, and worthy!