After the tough winter we have had, it has been lovely to see some spring like weather appearing around our nation. Granted, not everywhere has been fortunate enough to avoid the showers for more than a few hours, but some places have been basking in relative summer.
It is at this time of year that we can consciously take stock of our lives and spring clean them as well as our homes. Beginning with the customary spring clean of your living space, you can be sure to eradicate those things that you no longer need, or that are ties to things you may no longer want to be associated with. Do you still have odd papers lying around from your old job? You no longer need them, so make use of them. Turn them into a scrap paper notebook, or shred them and find someone with a small animal who might want it for bedding.
Have you rearranged your rooms recently? Take the time to shift things around where possible, giving you a fresh look to the room and the feeling of a fresh outlook. Perhaps it’s time to get a pleasant looking plant in the living room or kitchen to bring some life and colour to an otherwise busy place.
But the main thing that will help you prepare for a positive year ahead is a mental and spiritual spring clean.
Find some time to sit in a quiet room where you will not be disturbed. Make sure you are comfortable and if necessary, put on some quiet music to help drown out the sounds of the outside world. Begin by focussing on yourself, who you are, how you see yourself from the inside. Find those characteristics that make you who you are and move them into a positive place in your mind.
Then, think about those things that you no longer need to hold in your consciousness. Your ex-boss for example, or a bad experience you have had in the last year. Decide just how much of your consciousness they need; if the answer is “none”, actively eject them from your mind. A good way to do this is to imagine writing them on a piece of paper and releasing it into the wind, or have your own “mental shredder”. If there is something or someone who you are not sure is completely gone from your life or you aren’t ready to completely delete, set yourself up a little mental filing cabinet or something similar. Create a drawer with a label of your choice, and actively imagine placing those items, experiences or people into the drawer. You can create other drawers too, such as “possible useful information” or a lockable drawer with “do not enter” on the label.
Continue to divide up those things cluttering your mind and file them in the appropriate places, or delete them entirely. When you have finished with these things, begin to focus on what you want to do or achieve in the coming months. They can be long term targets (“plan and book a holiday to Cyprus by this time next year”) or short term targets (“redecorate the main bedroom by July”), but make a mental list and use associations such as images to remember them. Use this list to focus on what you are aiming for, especially in times of stress or upheaval. You could even have some fun and make a collage with snippets from brochures; also perfect for helping children stay positive and plan their summer holidays.
When you are finished with your mental organisation and if you have nice weather, open the windows to air your home or light some floral candles to refresh a room (we do have to remind you not to leave candles unattended, sorry!).
Overall, in times of need remind yourself of the great things you have in your life no matter how small.
