How To Spring Clean Your Mind & Increase Your Joy
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At long last, spring is here! Boy, it feels like this winter lasted forever, and I am so happy to have sunny, warmer days ahead of us.
Whenever the season changes, especially from winter to spring, I find myself feeling very introspective. I’m constantly checking myself and monitoring my mindset, but every year when spring rolls around, I do what I call “mental spring cleaning.” In short, I take whatever is clogging and cluttering my mind, and I consciously try to get rid of it. I find this kind of exercise very cathartic and healing, and it’s become my yearly tradition.
I’ve told a lot of my friends and clients about this mental spring cleaning practice, and they all seem to really like it, so I thought, why not share it on the blog? Here’s how you can do some mental spring cleaning yourself, so you can go into this next season feeling clear and fresh.
What is mental spring cleaning?
When we typically think of spring cleaning, we think of getting rid of clothes or items in our homes—and mental spring cleaning is kind of similar. In the same way that junk can clutter our living spaces, certain thoughts and beliefs can clutter our minds, making it hard for us to live our fullest, most enjoyable lives. Mental spring cleaning allows us to clear out the bad thoughts to make room for newer, better ones. To do that, just follow these three steps.
Step 1: Write everything out
We all have negative and limiting beliefs in our minds—it’s a normal part of being a human being. But those thoughts do NOT have to stay there, and there’s no time like the present to start combating and getting rid of them. To do this, I always start by writing down my thoughts, in a journal or on a pad of paper. What thoughts do you have about yourself or your abilities that are holding you back? Here are some hypothetical examples:
“I’m never going to feel good in my body.”
“I’m too out of shape to even start exercising.”
“I’m too old to make a change in my career.”
“My life sucks. I have nothing to be grateful for.”
“I can’t do XYZ thing, because of XYZ reason.”
Getting thoughts like these down on paper is the first step towards getting them out of your head. It’s my belief that we have to see our thoughts in front of us in order to face them.
Step 2: Intentionally counteract those thoughts
Next to each of the limiting beliefs you just wrote down (or beneath them, wherever you have space), I want you to write down a thought that counteracts that belief. Think: If your best friend was saying those beliefs to you, what would you say in response? The idea here is to disprove all of the negative beliefs you’ve written down. Here are examples of what I would say to counteract the statements I put above:
“I have every reason to feel good in my body right now, just the way I am. I am also capable of changing my body and improving my health, if I want to.”
“There’s no such thing as not being in good enough shape to go to the gym. People go to the gym to get in shape. No one is thinking about me like I think they are, and I have nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about.”
“It’s never too late to do something that makes me happy. This is my life—you only go around once—I deserve to pursue my goals.”
“I have so much to feel grateful for. [Write out a gratitude list, and express gratitude for everything from the people in your life, to the sun rising, to the flowers in your yard. Everything we have is something to be thankful for.]”
“I can do XYZ because of XYZ reasons. I am capable and competent, and I have every reason to go for it.”
See how those new thoughts are totally different from the negative ones? The second set is so much stronger! Whatever counter thoughts resonate with you, write them down! Argue the case against your negative beliefs like you’re a lawyer trying to win a case.
This exercise not only shows you that each of the limiting beliefs you hold are wrong, but it gives you the tools/verbiage to address those beliefs in the future. So whenever, or if ever, those beliefs come to mind, you'll know just what to say in response to shut down that voice.
Step 3: Do something symbolic to mark your new beginning
Sometimes performing a “ritual” or doing something symbolic is exactly what we need to put the thoughts that aren’t serving us behind us for good. Personally, after I do the above writing exercise, I shred the list or put it away somewhere, and then go outside, usually to physically exercise. I might go for a long run or walk by the Hudson, whatever feels good. Other times, I’ll take myself to dinner, or light some candles and take a bath. Do whatever you need to mark a “new beginning”—even if it’s just getting a really good night’s sleep!
Once you start taking these steps, you’ll see that mental spring cleaning does involve some work! But this is the kind of mental work that pays dividends, both in the short-term and the long-term.
I hope you’ll give these steps a try, and that they help you gain a lot of clarity going into this season! And if you liked the blog post—and want to join a badass, supportive group of women who can help you achieve your goals—join our private community, the Pure Joy Squad here!
Xo,
Renata