I find that because I work from home (and will be for the foreseeable future), every day feels like a Tuesday. Even back before the pandemic and I was commuting into an office, I still would fall into these groundhog-day funks where my life just felt so…mundane. There are weeks when I will wear and wash the same clothes, buy the same groceries and cook the same meals. I feel like my life is on auto-pilot and with everything being so planned and predictable, I find it difficult to be spontaneous.
Spring is here and is a great time to switch some things up and get a fresh start. The weather is starting to get warmer so it inspires me to switch things up a bit – like my morning routine, my meals, and my outfits. Springtime brings a sense of renewal, energizing vibes, positive thoughts and a chance for new beginnings.
Here are 15 ways to reset, renew and reinvent yourself, get a fresh start and get out of that funk:
1. Do everything differently for 1 day.
Nothing gets you unstuck better than intentionally switching up your routines for one whole day. This really makes you think about the things that you do automatically without thinking (i.e. your habits). Pick 1 day to do everything you normally do differently.
From the time you wake up in the morning to the time you fall asleep, do everything with a twist or completely opposite of what you would normally do them. For example, do things with the opposite hand, switch up the order that you wash your body in the shower, eat dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner, and take a different route to work. This is one of the fastest steps to renew and reinvent yourself.
2. Go on a wellness retreat.
Wellness retreats are probably the best way to relax, reset and renew yourself. They allow you to withdraw from the stress and strain of your life and instead focus on physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
If you are looking for a more budget-friendly option, you can plan a wellness retreat in your own town. Pick 2-3 days where you can take off of work and schedule as much self-care as possible during that time. If you’re able to leave the house, plan to go to a yoga class or meditation circle and schedule appointments at the spa and/or salon. You can also do many self-care activities at home such as taking a relaxing, candle-lit salt bath with aromatherapy.
If you plan accordingly, can ensure that your normal adult duties (like errands, caretaking, and chores) are all taken care of ahead of time or by someone else.
3. Detox your body.
One of the best ways to reset the body and mind is to clean out all the junk that has accumulated over the winter by doing a spring detox. There are a lot of ways to do this, but I’m partial to my own 3-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse. This will help me switch up the meals that I eat and give my body a much needed to cleanse.
4. Smudge your house.
Smudging, or sage clearing, with a small bundle of dried sage, is a Native American ritual for clearing spaces of negative energy. Sage clearing also has been found in a number of studies to have powerful antimicrobial and antibacterial qualities which helps to cleanse the air. It can also improve mood and cognition, repel insects and improve sleep quality.
In order to gain full benefits, integrative health professionals recommend burning sage with intention, reverence and gratitude. You’ll also need a sage stick to light which you can make yourself with this tutorial, or buy them here.
5. Buy a new journal.
Whenever I buy a new journal, there’s something about writing words on that first empty page that feels like my mind is being renewed. I can forget about all of the stress and strain that I wrote about in my previous journal, and focus on a new beginning with positivity and gratitude. This is one of my personal favorite steps to reset, renew and reinvent myself.
I can also begin to reframe old thoughts, set new intentions for what I’ll use this journal for, and reflect on achievements rather than dwell on failures. Any notebook will do but I personally enjoy a simple spiral bound one with an inspirational quote on the front like this one.
6. Rearrange your furniture.
When I was a kid, my parents seemed to move around our living room furniture once a year. I specifically remember coming home from volleyball practice and the TV and couch has switched places. I also remember feeling like I was in a completely different room.
Psychologists believe that there are several mental health benefits of rearranging furniture. It can spark creativity, help you feel more grounded, and can even help you embrace change in your life. If you’re ready for a fresh start, try swapping at least 2 pieces of furniture and observe how it makes you feel.
And unlike a remodel or an expensive home décor update, it doesn’t cost any money to freshen up a single space just by moving some things around.
7. Start learning a new skill (and stick with it for a month)
Learning a new skill is a great way to combat boredom and mundaneness. It can also improve self-confidence because you are stepping outside of your comfort zone. Neuroscientists also found that learning a new skill, at any age, changes the chemistry and wiring of your brain and benefits brain health. As a bonus, learning new things will make you a more interesting person regardless of whether you’re good at it or not. This step falls more into the category of “renew and reinvent yourself.”
Take a class online or in person, or head over to YouTube to learn how to speak a new language or play a new instrument. I would recommend sticking with it for a whole month to determine whether it brings you joy or is just another chore. You could also bring a friend or your partner along and get the double benefit of social engagement and relationship building.
8. Clean out your closet.
From my experience, when my closet is cluttered and disorganized, I tend to wear the same outfits over and over again. If I had trouble finding things, I automatically tell myself that I have nothing to wear. When I clean out my closet, I find things that I haven’t worn in months. A tidy space makes me feel a lot less disorganized but also gives me a good look at the clothes that I do own.
If my closet is organized and I still wear the same outfits, then maybe my wardrobe needs a refresh. More often than not though, it makes me realize how many clothes I do own and keeps me from shopping for new or thrift things.
I’ve also found that the closet is a gateway to decluttering other parts of my house. So it usually spurs a larger declutter effort which is a great way to get a fresh start!
9. Revisit and revise your goals.
Remember those New Year’s Resolutions that you made back in January? How are those going? According to a recent study, only 9% of people feel they are successful in keeping New Year’s resolutions at the end of the year.
Regardless of when you set your goals, it’s important to check in on your progress from time to time. Revisiting goals that you’ve made previously is a good reminder of what you’re working toward and getting back on track with those can be what you need to get unstuck in your life. It also gives you chance to reflect on why you are not on track to achieve those goals.
If you are having trouble meeting goals and want some help getting back on track, feel free to set up a free 30-minute discovery session with me to discuss how I can help you achieve them.
10. Change your environment.
Changing your environment can change your habits, and changing your habits can change your life. Your environment includes the amount, type and placement of physical things in your home, car, and office, and also includes the people in your life.
If you’re looking for a fresh start, try changing something about your home environment (maybe create a meditation corner somewhere in your house). Or schedule a coffee date with a new friend. It can also mean spending more time in a different environment – such as going for a hike outdoors. Nothing works better than changing your environment to renew and reinvent yourself.
11. Create a dreams list.
If time, money and support were unlimited, what would you do with your life? What would be different? What would stay the same? Sometimes getting a fresh start just means allowing yourself to break out of your real life and into the fantasy world. Let yourself day dream a little and write down a list of 5-10 dreams that you could have if resources were unlimited. Dreams are something that is going to motivate you to reset, renew and reinvent yourself.
Answering this question can also get you thinking about life beyond the boring and mundane aspects of life and shifts your thinking to the amazing and spontaneous opportunities that you are able to manifest in your life.
This exercise is especially powerful if you’re feeling like your life is at a standstill or that it is heading in a direction that doesn’t align with your core values.
12. Create a "stop-doing" list.
What are you doing in your life right now that you’d LOVE to not do anymore? Write a list of as many things that you can think of that you’d like to either stop doing right now or eventually would love to not have to do.
Having this list can reveal areas of your life where you can re-prioritize your time and energy in order to free up space in your life for the things that you want to do. It can also be very motivating to start anew in several areas of your life if there are things that you can stop doing right now. Check out this post on energy management to help you identify the thing on your “stop-doing” list that can be delegated or eliminated.
13. Try something new.
Break up the boring and mundane with something new and interesting like a new recipe, a new restaurant or a new hairstyle. A fresh start with new things can boost brain power and creativity and can help you develop your self-awareness and self-confidence.
Additionally, it can change your relationship with fear and cause you to be much less fearful of scary social situations (like confronting a coworker or running into an ex in the supermarket).
14. Detox your mind.
The best way to detox your mind and give your brain a fresh start is to allow it to enter “mind-wandering mode”. This is the opposite of work mode or executive mode and is crucial for reducing stress and improving mental health. Great mind detoxes include a lot of mental breaks with meditation, visualization, reflection and spending more time in nature.
Having a clearer mind can boost confidence, self-awareness and discipline, and can give you the mental reset you’re looking for.
15. Create 1 new small habit.
In order to get a fresh start and create a habit that sticks, focus on incorporating one small habit at a time. You have the power within you to change your habits, one at a time, and therefore you have the power to change your life. Here are a few examples of healthy small habits that can help you kick start your fresh start:
- Keep your workspace clean
- Unsubscribe to 2 promotional emails every morning
- Read a personal growth book for 5 minutes a day
- Get outside for 10 minutes per day
- Drink water as soon as you wake up in the morning
Want to learn more about transforming habits? Check out these blog posts:
7 Strategies to break bad habits
10 Daily habits of people with a growth mindset
