It’s spring! The flowers are blooming and many are yellow, the colour which research tells us makes us feel most optimistic and energetic.

A pot of daffodils will brighten your mood so put them on your desk or table. Research by Washington State University showed employees with blooms on their desks felt 10 percent less sleepy in one day.

If you’ve been drinking a lot of cozy hot chocolates in the winter months and now your jeans are too tight try making a cup of dandelion tea instead.

Spring is dandelion season so make the most of its cleansing properties which are great for flushing out your system leaving you feeling more alert. Wonderful for improving liver function too.

Whenever you feel stressed or tense practice the following breathing exercise to relax your body and mind:

Breathe deeply and relax. For 2 or 3 minutes each hour, take a short mental vacation.

You can engage in this exercise while you are standing in the checkout line at the supermarket or a few minutes during your lunch break. You can do this exercise at home or at work.

Take three deep breaths and relax. As you inhale, concentrate on calm and peaceful thoughts. You may think about relaxing by a mountain, by the ocean or comfortably in your favourite room at home.

As you exhale, concentrate on pushing any tension out of your lungs.

Focus on positive images in your life. Focus on laughter, love, excitement, and hope. If you can’t recall any, imagine feeling happy and excited and hopeful.

Keep breathing in and out in this pattern until you feel better. If you practice the exercise often, you will notice wonderful changes in your outlook and in other aspects of your life.