The month of February was nothing less than frigid, but here we are at March’s doorsteps basking in temperatures above 50 degrees, just happy we can leave the house dorning wet hair without fear of it freezing. With the arrival of Spring also comes the perfect time to inevitably see every Instagram influencer’s “Spring Cleaning How-To” post and subsequently feel peer-pressured to get your sh*t together.
If that is the boat you’re in right about now, my best advice would be to take a step back, take a minute to reset, and contemplate what kind of cleaning actually needs to be done. Taking a couple baskets to the resale shop or doing a full bathroom deep-clean is a sure way to get into an organizational grind, but in this new season the opportunity for internal growth should be at the forefront of all of our to-do lists.
The easiest way for me to look at it is…spring cleaning- but for your mind!
-
The Way You Talk to Yourself Matters
Seriously…
If you were to plant a flower in cement, would you expect it to bloom? Of course not. So how is that any different than the words you let wander in your head? We should keep in mind that we can not control all of our thoughts. We can, however, control what subconscious thinking patterns we give power to.
Barry Gordon, professor of neurology and cognitive science at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine explains in the Scientific American,
|| “We exert some power over our thoughts by directing our attention, like a spotlight, to focus on something specific.”
This is the stem of a lot of anxieties- letting subconscious worries garnish more weight in our minds than they’re worth. By giving power to the negatives in our days, our spotlight does not have the opportunity to focus on the good.
Starting every morning with an affirmation, one as simple as, “I will be proud of the work I do today”, can impact the direction of our focus for the remainder of the day.
Try it out in the coming days, and if you’re lacking some inspiration, feel free to explore a collection of positive words I’ve pulled together, HERE.
2. Give More Attention to Things that Fuel Your Passions
Quarantine might have made you feel like all of your hobbies had to in some way be profitable. Reality check- they don’t. Having pasttimes that are completely separate from work or school life is crucial to feeding your creative outlets. Working out doesn’t have to be a competition or a race against your past self. Find a gym partner that will take a pilates class you’ve never attended before, just for fun! Fire up your Apple Pencil and doodle just for the heck of it; make a game of it and ask a friend to give you random topics to spark an idea. Start a new Pinterest board to inspire some DIY decorations for your room. Hop in the car and pick out some flowers for your kitchen at your local farmers market. Pick up a book and don’t set any guidelines for when you need to finish it- take a couple hours every here and now to sit next to your window and read for leisure.
The possibilities to exercise your creative parts are endless.
Not everything has to be practical nor rational, some of the most endearing things to experience in life are those that have no function other than bringing joy.
3. Acknowledge and Analyze the Way You Feel
History tends to repeat itself, especially when it is ignored or forgotten. Our minds happen to work similarly, as repeating past hurtful actions happens when we don’t learn from them the first time. Feelings may be fleeting, but recognizing the way they infiltrate our daily routines is imperative to harnessing them to direct our moods positively. Analyzing the impact of our emotions can be done by recording them daily in one way or another. That way, when we are removed from our feelings after the fact, we can look back and identify why we felt the way we did.
Viewing life through this objective lens allows us to pinpoint where negative feelings arise from along with bringing us closer to those which brighten our day. Keeping a journal you write in at night is a good way to track yourself, and is a good reminder that each day we get a fresh start.
Some good points of measurement include tracking how much sleep you’re getting each night, how productive you feel throughout the day, the amount of water you’re drinking, your daily highs and lows, plus what you wake up grateful for each day.
If you would like to start charting the way your emotions play a role in your day, you’re in luck!
I’ve created a downloadable “Daily Reflective Journal” for anyone and everyone to use! Download it to your phone or iPad and use the markup capabilities to fill in your journal, or print out as many copies as you please and make yourself a printed planner. The best part- it’s completely FREE!
Click on this link to check it out!
No matter what this sign of the times brings you, entering with optimism, gratitude, and willingness to reflect is a bulletproof way to ensure spring cleaning doesn’t only have to happen when clearing out your closet.