3 Simple Ways To Prepare for a Mental Spring Cleaning

Every once in a while, I take stock of my life and assess if I’m actually living the life I want to live.

Sometimes, I feel right on track.

Other times, I want to flip everything on its head, burn it to the ground, and start all over.

Thankfully, I always come to my senses, take a breath, and give myself a little perspective.

A funk in life doesn’t mean you need to start from scratch, but it may mean making a few small adjustments to your daily actions, doing a good cleanse, and shaking things up.

. . .

Get Blank

Just like a spring cleaning of your house, you have to start with a good old-fashioned purge. Purge your junk, things you no longer use or need, just clear things out.

The same holds true when it comes to a mental cleanse.

Clear out old ideas, plans, unreached goals, negative thoughts, and start fresh from right now, with no carry-over.

“What do you want?” That’s the question. Take your time when answering because you may have a built-in knee-jerk response that has become the truth.

Circumstances in life are always in flux, which means your goals may need to shift. Because of that, it would be wise to reassess where you are in this moment so you can identify if your answer to what you want still applies.

Get still, get blank, and think.

. . .

The company you keep

It’s common wisdom that if you want to improve your skills at anything in life, you need to practice or interact with the people that are already better at the skill than you.

It may feel a little deflating at first, but being around those who are succeeding at what you aspire to do is your quickest route to get there. You’ll work harder, do better, and eventually reach your goals.

When you’re looking to do a reset and get to the life you really want, look closely at the people you’re surrounded with, and seek out those who have been where you are now but have achieved great success.

. . .

Make your bed

In the book by retired U.S Navy Admiral William McRaven, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World, the advice is simple.

If you want to change the world, start by making your bed.

If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.

By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.

If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

— Admiral William McRaven.

How does this apply to a mental spring cleaning?

Simple. Your surroundings impact how you feel about everything in life. Nothing is too small to make an impact.

Do you have a lot of clutter around your home, office, or in your car?

Clear it away.

Do you get enough natural light in your home?

Studies show that natural light can be a key to fighting off seasonal depression, boosting vitamin D, and improving your sleep quality.

Do you make your personal self-care a priority?

Your body is your closest surrounding. It’s the vessel that holds every experience in your life. Simple things like keeping your mind stimulated with creative activities, moving your body to improve flexibility, overall health, and bone health, and protecting your skin will benefit you every day by keeping you sharp, strong, and feeling refreshed.

. . .

It’s never too early or too late for a mental spring cleaning. Look at your everyday habits and simply ask yourself, “Is there clutter, noise, or discontent around this situation? Has this become too complicated?”

You may be able to hire someone to help you clean your house, but a mental spring cleaning starts with your decision to make changes and assess your relationships and your surroundings.

You are the one that makes it happen. It’s an inside job.

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This post was previously published on Hello, Love.

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