Spring is a season of shaking off the long sleep of winter. It’s a perfect time to check in with ourselves. It’s a moment to evaluate what is working in our lives - and what might need to be changed.

It's a good time to analyse the impact of the people, thoughts, and places we frequent and lean on.

Traditionally, springtime was believed to be an ‘awakening’ by the Ancient Greeks. They  took three days to de-stress,  celebrate life and rebirth. Our ancestors even waited until spring to bury their loved ones who had passed during the winter months. 

Spring cleaning is also rooted in such tradition – a ritual that involved beating away the dust and grime that had accumulated from heating wood or coal during the winter. Today, we still like to use spring to clear out the cobwebs.At The SABI we also sweep them out of our life too – from the spaces where we work and live, to what we wear and think about. For us, this season represents a renewal and positive shift in our energy and  consciousness. 

As the buds start to appear, it's time to start cleaning your mind, body and soul… 

Here are 5 things we are spring cleaning and why: 

1. Our kitchen and bathroom cupboards 

We always start here... Because what we put in and on our body directly impacts our health.

All the way in the back of the kitchen cupboard is where we reach for those products that haven't been used but may still be good to go! They take centre stage to be included in our next meal prep. Those we know are no longer on our upcoming menus, we gift to a soup kitchen or neighbour and rejuvenate that excuse to say hello with a proverbial ‘cup of sugar’!  

In the case of skin, hair, and body products that no longer work for us but are still in good condition, we treat a friend or colleague whose skin type works. 

Part of the cleanse is internalising what our body does need during this adjustment from cold to warm weather and picking out the products that our body is craving for the summer months ahead. Always on our spring product shopping list is our deeply moisturising Prebiotic Body Moisturiser to prep the legs for summer, and our Reviving Face & Space Mist which is an essential handback addition for the long summer months. 

2. Our mind

We love journaling no matter the season, but keeping in touch with our thoughts especially in spring is perfect for what the season symbolises.  

What was bothering you last season? Bad habits to get rid of? Goals to be set or revised? Let’s write them down and take action.

The mind refresh is incomplete without putting in the work! If you don’t know where to start and need a boost of inspiration, a self-care journal with encouraging prompts may do the trick. We also love a gathering of women to clip a stack of magazines and create a vision board with our Spring energy. It’s great to get together for a constructive and growth-oriented purpose. We love that everyone walks away with a map of their own version of an energised future to focus on that we shared. 

3. Our wardrobe 

Our bodies are constantly in flux and that is a beautiful and natural process we are constantly working to appreciate.

To adapt to the change, picking what needs to go and choosing what suits our body now and that we’d love to keep is something we can control.

Spring is the ultimate time to say hello to the pieces in our closet that haven’t been used, to bring out our most confident selves, and put on the garments we used to hesitate over. If you come across some clothes that have faded along with the winter, consider a friend-swap, donating, selling, or upcycling! We recently made a baby blanket out of our well-loved cashmere jumpers that had seen better days!

Swapping clothes with a friend is an excuse to bring your friends together and a great way to get a new batch of clothes (even if secondhand) without spending extra. Donating at your local thrift store is a guilt-free option to get rid of old clothes while also helping those in need. If you want to sell, we love these online marketplaces, Marktplaats in the Netherlands and Vinted and Depop in the UK. If you have the creativity and talent in sewing, upcycling unused pieces into new clothes, hats, and even bags are another way to clean your wardrobe.

4. Our wellness routine 

It’s time to take care of our physical (and thus mental) health by prioritising our bodies through exercise and nourishing spring meals.

Use the better weather as a sign to go outdoors and move your body, even for just 15-30 minutes a day. Research shows that exercising outdoors helps increase endorphin levels and helps with critical vitamin D we’ve missed all winter for mental health, fertility and hormonal balance support.  Running, biking, hiking, and walking are great ways to get your blood flowing. Plus, nature is free and makes the experience more enjoyable. For routines, the Sweat app is a helpful fitness guide and we adore how their trainers are all women. 

While you’re at it, you can redefine your wellness routine by making some adjustments in your diet with ingredients that stimulate liver cleansing.

According to Chinese Traditional Medicine and Native American healing, the liver is stimulated to cleanse in Spring.

It can be done gently by reducing the starchy foods of winter and including ingredients like celery, cabbage, sprouts and asparagus. Savoy cabbage is a spring vegetable originating in the Netherlands and is amazing in our easy, spring Mediterranean Cabbage Wraps recipe. Asparagus is also a spring favourite. With so many vegetables coming into season, we love whipping up a fresh local  spring salad for dinner! 

5. Those in our life 

“You’re the average of the five people you spend your time with.”

This new season allows us to take a moment and review who is in our lives… Analysing whether or not they still bring out the best in you. We go through cycles with people; we are constantly in flux and so are our relationships. “As we age, it’s normal that we whittle down our group of friends to those we value the most,” Therapist Miriam Kirmayer writes. 

So close your eyes and let your heart and mind speak to you. Who is building you up; who isn’t and can they learn to? As women our intuition is almost always right. We just have to listen.

Spring cleaning focuses on more than just our physical belongings. Cleansing our bodies and our minds is just as important as we prepare for a new season and the beautiful challenges ahead. 

HORMONAL & PROUD

Created as a brand to help women navigate the toughest moments in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum — and practically every stage of life, the SABI aims to change the narrative around our hormones from one of taboo, embarrassment and loneliness, to awareness and even pride. Much more than a wellness brand, SABI offers a carefully crafted line of products to carry you through your hormonal journey; a set of rituals, supportive tools, and ancient herbal remedies that have been tested time and again by women and now, backed by medicine. SABI is a blend of science and nature conceived by women who have experienced the joys and deep implications of bringing a child into the world, the pains of a heavy and difficult period, miscarriage and difficulty conceiving.

Here is an invitation to get to know your body and its cycles better and to really understand what is going on inside. Learn to use your hormonal cycle to your advantage no matter your stage of life, and know that you can always support and balance your hormone levels. Look for the right sources of information, know that there is help, and know that you’re supported.

DISCLAIMER

The SABI blog and articles are not meant to instruct or advise on medical or health conditions, but to inform. The information and opinions presented here do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals for your unique situation. 


ABOUT NIKKA

Nikka is a copywriter and Associate Creative Director by day and singer-songwriter by night, based in Manila, Philippines. From creating commercials under an agency, she transitioned to independently collaborating with different people within the music community, as well as organisations in the area of social development, and now entering the beauty and wellness space with the SABI. Walking her dog + food trips + film photography are her favourite pastimes.

SOURCES

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