Longer days give way to more opportunities.

More sunlight does wonders for our mental and physical health, and frankly makes us feel like we have a chance to enjoy the day even after a long day of work. I usually call the Fall back portion of the year, Vampire Hours. We wake up in the dark only to barely see the sun peek out before it sets for the day. Granted, I do enjoy snow and winter. I love how everything is blanketed in white, as if someone spent hours painting it white to perfection. You don’t hear any cars going by, you don’t hear loud music, or people, or anything really. It gets so quiet at night that it’s incredibly peaceful and calming. No other time in the year does that happen. But there’s a downside to short, darker days. It makes me feel like I can never get anything accomplished. I feel like the day is over before it even began and frankly, it makes me feel like crap emotionally.

I thrive on sunlight like so many of us do. I eventually will move back to the West coast simply for the beautiful landscapes and consistent year round pool weather. There’s nothing better than that post swim nap. Nothing!

As much as Spring irritates my allergies, I love this time of year for a number of reasons. I love the longer days, warmer days, the optimism. I find this is a great time of year to not only remember to Spring clean your closets of all the things we unnecessarily acquire through the year but also extend that Spring Clean to our emotions and relationships. There are times we overlook our toxic connections in our life because it’s hard to let go. It’s like watching a program that showcases Hoarders. From the outside, it’s easy to tell other people when things look bad. It’s always easy to pick other situations apart when we don’t know the backstory. It’s easy to tell someone to throw their clutter out when we don’t know the emotional ties they have to the same stack of items in the clutter chair. We all know that chair. We all have that chair. It makes you wonder how so many things and emotions can get tossed to the side and go unnoticed until that pile on the chair falls over.

It’s not easy to be honest with ourselves and get rid of all the things we hold on to so dearly; the things, the people, and the situations. But sometimes we have to make the hard choice to purge. Sometimes we have to make the hard choice to say no or say goodbye.

Whether you feel the inspiration this time of year or later, find the strength to do some clearing in your own life. Breath some fresh air into your life and do yourself a favor for once. Too many of us aren’t putting ourselves or our needs first. Let’s let this season be different. Let’s take that step together toward growth and happiness.

Remember to love yourself first.