Spring Cleaning doesn’t just have to be for your home- I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this before. When the weather warms up and Spring is quite literally in the air, it’s the perfect time to refresh, reset and renew everything in your life.
Home is perhaps the easiest thing to Spring Clean though- a physical cleaning, de-cluttering and cleansing where you can physically see the changes you make! Did you know that you can Spring Clean your mind as well, though? You can go into the new season ready to face whatever the world throws at you, and harness the energies of creativity and inspiration; here is 5 ways to help you Spring Clean your mind!
1- Declutter Your Mind and Tune into Yourself.
Journaling is an excellent way to delve into what you’re thinking, how you’re feeling and to sort through some ideas that may be floating around in your head. I even use journaling to help me come up with blog topics for this website- but it’s the perfect way to declutter your mind so that you can think clearly. There’s something about writing things down on paper that allows you to process what’s in your head. If you haven’t yet tried doing a morning brain dump to start your day- I’d highly recommend it. Write everything down that’s on your mind; it’ll help you prepare for the day and make it easier to focus on the here and now, too.
2- Assess your Relationships/ Friendships/ Connections.
I go through a lull during January and February- after the hectic lifestyle of the festive season, I crave solitude and silence in the depth of Winter. So, when Spring comes around, I’m ready to socialise and connect with my friends and see what’s going on in their lives! When we have 24 hours to fit in life, work, socialising, sleep and everything else, it’s worth having a moment to assess your friendships, relationships and connections that you hold dear. As we get ready to head out in warmer weather and our social calendars begin to fill again, take a moment to think about the people you connect with.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
Jim Rohn
Know that it’s okay to say no (especially when you don’t feel like doing something, or are overbooking your calendar) and that you don’t have to be a people-pleaser. Establishing healthy boundaries means that you can be fully present with friends and social events and still care for you-too.
3- Get Out of Your Comfort Zone.
I know, this one is scary. This is the one I struggle with the most- outside of our comfort zone is unknown and can be downright terrifying! Yet, when we step outside of our comfort zones- that’s where the magic happens. That’s where we grow, learn and achieve new things. So, get comfortable with discomfort. Start off small- make changes to your daily routine. Shake things up a bit and see what happens, how it makes you feel. Take one step towards your goal- those big dreams that you’re holding on to. Take one step and start moving forward- the momentum will build! Do something you’ve always feared doing but want to do- seek the adrenaline and see how much you can grow from the experience. You may find that you don’t like it- and that’s totally okay- you’ll know that it’s not your thing, but your comfort zone will have expanded.
4- Make Time for Yourself.
One of the most important self-care acts when we’re socialising, listening, supporting and spending time with loved ones is making time for yourself. YOU matter. If you’re finding that you don’t have time for yourself, to read, to write, to exercise, or whatever it is you’re wanting to do- start a habit tracker. Track your time and figure out where your time is going- too often we don’t realise how much time we’re wasting on habits that serve no purpose (have you scrolled through social media today only to realise that you haven’t read those last few posts?) when we can be using that time for something else- something meaningful, productive or just in quiet to re-centre ourselves. If you’re not sure of your habits, take 5 mins every hour to make a note of what you’ve been doing. Be honest with yourself- you’ll find where your time is going and where you can gain time to spend on the things you want to do.
5 – Embrace The Quiet.
Sometimes, it’s easier to hear ourselves when we’re quiet- so spend time with yourself. Don’t feel that you have to be with other people and socialise if you’re craving solitude or have a lot of noise in your head. Once you’ve found a moment to just be you and spend time with yourself, it can be easier to mentally declutter and for things to feel less chaotic. You may want to try meditation, mindfulness and/or journaling- what’s important is to find something that works for you, and add it to your routine whether it’s a daily, weekly or monthly routine.
I hope these tips have been helpful for you- do you have any others that you’d add? Let me know below.