As the daffodils bloom, the birds chirp, and the days get longer, many people embrace the spring season as a time of growth and rebirth. In the United States, "spring cleaning" is often invoked as an opportunity to get rid of clutter that is dragging us down, and to scrub and shine our environments to feel like we have a fresh start. Within that mindset can be an important metaphor for our psychological well-being too: Using the rebirth of the season to motivate us to let go of mental habits that are not serving us, and taking the time to plant tiny seeds that will bring meaningful growth later on.

All too often, when people try to adopt new mindsets, they go for changes that are too sweeping, that are impossible to maintain, or that feel like punishment. And so these attempts—just like we see with unrealistic New Year's resolutions—are often doomed to fail.

Instead, slow but steady changes are the ones that are bound to have the biggest impact over time, because you can stick with them and not get exhausted. Changes that can be incorporated into your daily life as it already exists, rather than expecting to change your daily life altogether, are most often the better bet.

If you are looking for a little boost to your mental health this spring, here are some simple but meaningful actions to consider.

1. Observe your all-or-none........

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