Winter is finally drawing to an end and spring is around the corner. We start to feel energized again and excited about warmer weather, longer days and sunshine, lots of sunshine that we missed during the long winter. When spring arrives, we feel the urge to clean and de-clutter. We air things out, dust corners and possibly wash our windows and carpets. We draw the curtains in our homes to let the light in as we continue to welcome spring into our homes and our lives. Oh glorious spring!
Our homes are not the only places in need of de- cluttering. Our hearts (i.e. our emotions) are also in need of some cleaning and organizing. Life gets busy for all of us and things weigh us down cluttering our emotions and our sense of self. We may feel irritable or on edge and most times, we are unable to identify what is bothering us. The clutter in our emotional lives can prevent us from moving forward and keep us in a stagnant place. Hence, frustration and anger builds up. Maybe our relationships with others start to decline, or our additional responsibilities at work and at home start to feel impossible to juggle. Our emotions need our attention too!
Below are 3 simple steps for spring cleaning our emotional self:
1. Write down a detailed list
Take inventory of each area in your life that feels heavy, cluttered and chaotic. What is it that is bringing us down? Everyone’s list will look different, but some areas may include: family relationships, work responsibilities, relationship with self, personal relationships, health, fitness goals, financial stress, parenting or school stress.
2. Decide what stays and what goes
Identify the relationships and commitments in each area you listed that need de-cluttering to make room for the new. Include things preventing you from connecting with your true self and achieving balance and inner happiness. What are the barriers? Which of these barriers do we need to let go of? What steps do we need to take to break down these barriers and allow the fresh air of spring in our lives and our hearts? Identifying what prevents us from becoming ‘unstuck’ will bring about a sense of renewal and joy and excitement about what’s to come. Spring is synonymous for this.
3. Clean and Replenish
Once we’ve identified the barriers which keep us behind, its time to start cleaning and replacing the things that need to stay. Sorting through our emotions can be just as overwhelming as putting everything into place. Once this step is completed, we may begin to feel a sense of relief and feel “ lighter.” Each of our emotional lives will look different. There is no right or wrong, and it won’t be completed all at once either. The important thing is to keep at it, and the key to staying on task is to communicate with your inner self. Listen to that inner voice and nurture it.
Happy Spring!