Seasonal Self-Care Tips: Embracing Your Marriage This Spring

I love spring, it’s my favorite time of year. New life. Flowers. Temperate weather. It all just screams ‘do-over’ for me. I feel like anything negative in my faith and relationships can be made new in spring. I feel like it’s a fresh start for all areas of my life, including my marriage. The first place to begin with that fresh start is with self-care practices.

Introduction

Self-care is essential for nurturing our own personal well-being, boosting your immune system, and maintaining healthy relationships in our daily lives. By taking the time to care for ourselves, we not only honor our bodies and mental health but we also cultivate a foundation of strength and resilience that can positively impact those around us, including our spouses. The concept of self-care ties in nicely with the renewal and growth that spring brings, making it the perfect time to focus on rejuvenating our inner selves.

As nature awakens from its winter slumber and bursts forth with new life (I can just see crocuses peeking their heads out of the soil!), we too can embrace this season of renewal with an open heart. When we engage in practices that refresh our spirits and enhance our overall wellness, we are embracing the season. Doing this, we can become more present, attentive, and loving partners, fostering deeper connections and improved communication within our marriages. When we add a faith element our self-care becomes about honoring who God made us to be and we can flourish in our relationships the way He intended.

The Biblical Basis for Self-Care

We all know (or should know) that we need to tend to ourselves before we can tend to others. Just like the flight attendants tell us to put on our own mask before putting them on our children, we need to take care of ourselves to effectively take care of our loved ones. The type of self-care I’m talking about moves beyond the mani-pedi and into our heart care. When we take care of our heart, we are connecting to God. When our faith is solid and our heart is centered on Him we can more fully give of ourselves to our spouse. See how it all works together?

The first way to work on our heart is to rely on God. When we put our trust in Him, we are taking the pressure off ourselves. That’s a great first way to be kind to yourself. We work on our hearts when we draw close to God through prayer, worship, and study. Leaning into God and making Him our priority in our spiritual journey is a great option for initiating self-care. Begin to rely on God by asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in your spiritual growth. Inner peace will come as you put your trust in Him.

Read this Scripture: Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” If you use the link to read it, you’ll find multiple translations to help you gain a more thorough understanding of this verse.

Spiritual Practices for Personal Renewal

The good news is that spiritual practices for self-care don’t have to be complicated. Here’s a short list to get you started. After you read this, brainstorm some ideas that will work for you. Choose one to begin this week (tomorrow is the perfect time!)

• Start a new daily routine that includes Bible study, reading, and/or worship
• Set new goals for this season – what do you want to do that will fulfill you in your faith walk?
• Get outside for some fresh air – take a prayer walk through your community
• Nurture your emotional well-being by journaling
• Engage in outdoor activities with your spouse – take a walk, go to the beach, throw a ball
• Avoid social media and the tsunami of information it entails
• Brainstorm of some creative ways to demonstrate your faith. I love to sketch insights from the Bible, even though I’ll never share them with the world. Creative expression can be very freeing!
• Let go of things that are bothering you. See that Scripture above from Matthew to guide you in this
• Take care of your body by starting an exercise routine. Take advantage of the warmer weather and find some exercise you can do outside!

When you take time to unwind and connect with God you have a heart that is ready for love with your spouse. Being centered in Christ sets a positive tone for effective and honest communication with your spouse.

Enhancing Marital Communication Through Self-Care

I’m a big proponent of knowing our own mind. When we have let go of stress and connected with God, we are much more likely to know how we really feel about topics. This self-awareness and reduced stress lead to better listening and speaking with our spouse. When we are calm and focused on God we can identify the core emotion when dealing with various issues. We have a calm reassurance that God has everything under control.  

As you work to focus on God for your self-care, spend additional time in prayer. Ask your spouse to pray with you. Consider co-journaling about the season you are in as a family. Create a blessing wall so everyone can see how God has helped the family this year. The more we focus on God’s blessings to us, the more likely we are to rely on Him for our needs. And that’s a very good thing. Consider starting a new hobby with your spouse as part of your self-care. Doing an activity together strengthens your marital bond and gives you something fun to look forward to.

Practical Self-Care Strategies for the Season

Need some more ideas?

• Take a nature walk together
• Read inspirational devotionals together
• Engage in creative activities that uplift your spirit
• Build social connections by joining a small group for Bible study
• Take care of your body with a couples massage

Conclusion

Investing in yourself helps you invest in your marriage. When you take time to ground your faith in the Lord Jesus you are tapping into a powerful component of spiritual practice. There is no better way to recharge than to tap into God’s truth and plans for you. We only know what that means by engaging in prayer, study, worship, and reading the Bible.

Take time today to build a faith-based self-care routine for this season. Spring is the best time to start again – with our faith, with our marriage, with ourselves. Give yourself some grace for any mistakes you’ve made in the past and embrace a season of new beginnings.

What will your first step be for seasonal self-care this spring?  Let us know in the comments section below.

Peace & Joy,

🌸 Andrea

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