Welcome to Spring, a season of new life and new beginnings. There’s a freshness and a stirring sense of promise in the air as we wake from our winter hibernation and look forward to what summer and the rest of the year will bring.
Growing up this meant little league baseball, spring soccer, rainy days (I grew up in Connecticut), and the excitement that comes along with knowing that school was soon to be letting out for the summer.
It also meant spring cleaning time for my mom.
As soon as the spring equinox had passed, she’d appear one day with cleaning supplies and to-do lists in hand and a preternatural energy. Like a drill sergeant in the military, she had us up and “at ‘em” going through all of our closets and drawers to pull-out clothes that no longer fit. Then she’d have us help her and my dad rummage through the basement and garage looking for clutter like an eager gold miner during the Gold Rush. She’d then organize the neighborhood yard sale (we called them “tag” sales back East) and anything still left over we’d load up in the van for donation. Every spring was the same cycle.
Oh, how I used to dread it. It was a lot of work, boring, and took away from playtime. It was a heck of a lot easier to just leave the clutter alone. But now as an adult I appreciate what my mom was doing and the lesson she was trying to impart on us – the value of purging the unnecessary to make room for the necessary.
What’s necessary in our lives is the peace and clarity that comes with making space in our lives and our minds. Space to be ourselves. Space to enjoy what’s around us. Space to be present with those whom we love.
The clutter in our lives can be a real problem. Carolyn and I often marvel at how quickly it can pile up in our house and cause us stress. Others suffer from hoarding or have family members that do. That’s very challenging, certainly after there’s been a death as we’ve seen in our practice.
However, the clutter is not all about the piling up of physical items. At times we can feel overwhelmed by our thoughts, emotions, and worries. That’s mental clutter, and it’s the worst kind. For some, it can be debilitating.
Our brain is the most powerful organ in our body. It is the central processing unit for all feelings and actions. It is the basis of everything we experience. In order to slow an overstimulated and anxious mind to achieve a calm mental state, you need to train your mind daily. Here are some practices that will help:
- Put the phone down
- Practice daily gratitude
- Deep breathing
- Walk about
- Practice an “I get to” mentality
- Say “no” more
- Do something you love
- Let go of the past and be present
- Reach out to someone in your life
- Organize your home and digital life
In the spirit of spring cleaning, we encourage you to take some time to sift through the basements and garages of your mind and clear the mental clutter that might be holding you back from being more focused and mindful in your daily life.
The open space will be freeing, good for your soul, and help you enjoy the wonderful life around you.
