Hello all! I’m Sally and I blog over at Life Loving and All That Grows. Life Loving is my way to inspire others to enjoy their life more and All That Grows is my newest venture, talking about all things to do with gardening. I’ve teamed up with the lovely Gemma here to put together a post about all the ways you can help yourself to have an amazing spring this year because let’s face it, last spring was a bit of a washout!
Catch Up With Family
We all know the government’s road map out of lockdown and so we know that soon we can enjoy a picnic or a coffee in the park with a friend or member of extended family. So as long as you feel comfortable doing so, you should do this. Zoom and Teams catch-ups are all well and good, but they are no replacement for real face-to-face conversation. Even better if you can do it over a picnic lunch or a hot drink – it will make a real occasion of the event.
And once we get to the end of March, you can meet with up to 6 people in your own garden. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking of a BBQ on Easter weekend. Although knowing the British weather, it will probably rain.
Take Up A New Hobby
I know everyone took up new hobbies last spring, but let’s be honest, how many of these hobbies do you still do now? It’s time to look at the hobbies that you started last year and decide which ones are worth re-energising and which ones were a very bad idea. Maybe you want to try something different? With the world going online in 2020, there are so many courses and workshops you can take without leaving home. You could take up learning a language, hone your knitting skills, maybe indulge your green-fingers or perhaps even master that digital camera languishing away in a cupboard. If you remember back to how a new skill made you feel last year, that feeling can come around again with a bit more you-time.
Get Some Exercise
By the end of March, outdoor sports venues can open, so this is a great time to think about getting a bit more exercise. Perhaps you can join the local running club or join an outdoor boot camp class? Golf and tennis are great sports for social distancing and even if you aren’t any good, you’ll be getting plenty of steps in just chasing after rogue balls.
Love Your Home
Spring is the time for a spring clean. Funny that! It’s a great time to de-clutter and recycle all the things you really aren’t using. I love having sparkly clean windows and a freshly mown law at the beginning of spring. It really makes my home feel more joyous. Spring is also a great time to look at what else you need in your home. If you are having a clear-out, chances are other people will be. Fancy a new set of garden furniture? It might be handy that your neighbour down the road is selling their old set, which looks pristine. There’s not much that won’t look good again with a clean or a lick of paint and you’ll save yourself a fortune by buying second hand. It’s also better for the environment too.
Treat Yourself
We had to make a lot of sacrifices in the last 12 months. No one enjoyed juggling home-schooling with a full day’s work. We haven’t had our hair cut, been on holiday or even just had a date night at the cinema. So now isn’t the time to start cutting back on the things we can do and we enjoy. We treat ourselves to a takeaway roast dinner from the local gastropub. There seems to be a lot of people offering exquisite afternoon teas, takeaway gourmet meals or even local beers from micro-breweries. You name it, you can probably have it – just it will be in takeaway format for a little longer.
See Some Animals
From the middle of April, zoos and other wildlife parks can reopen. I would suggest doing your research and finding a local animal shelter or charity that could do with visitors and donations, as well as going to the bigger venues. I know a few of our local animal welfare charities have really struggled with a complete drop off in visitor numbers and therefore donations. It’s important to get these revenue streams going again. It’s also a fantastic day out for the kids (both little and big ones).
What else do you have planned for this spring?
Thanks to Sally for her inspiring post, you can find more on her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.