Spring Cleaning for Your Head and Heart
By Meg Sanchez
Spring has finally landed! Along with it comes bright energy and a promise of renewal. In winter, it seems to me, that we sit inside pondering what’s possible during the long, cold months...but we stay put and don’t do too much about it. Along comes spring and presents us with the ideal time for taking inspired action and planting seeds for growth and change.
Transformation is just as much about letting go as it is taking on the new. There’s no room for new furniture in the living room until you get rid of the old recliner right? The same goes for our thoughts and patterns. Our lives are full as it is, and sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is recognize that taking on more isn’t necessarily the answer.
Instead we can identify trade-offs that free us up for what we’d like to be experiencing instead. Though challenging, trade-offs offer us a chance to reset and really question what’s most important. What is it in your life that actually deserves renewed attention right now? And therefore, what’s got to go in order to create space?
So often we’re quick to give away our resources– time, creativity, energy, just because someone makes a request. But we have a choice, always. We can create space and release what doesn’t serve us first, before we decide what it is that we want to introduce into our lives.
But letting go is often more challenging that we imagine. There’s the fear of letting others down or even appearing incapable. We take on more and more and more until we find ourselves in a state of overwhelm, mentally and physically. So today, let’s remind ourselves that before we plant new seeds, letting go and creating space is just as important. And a heck of a lot more liberating.
Heighten Awareness
Change isn’t possible until we heighten the awareness around what’s ailing us in the first place. In this case, what exactly is it that’s taking up space in our lives and isn’t serving us? It might be an actual commitment of time. Perhaps it’s negative self talk that runs in an endless loop and feels paralyzing. Whatever it is, just notice it. Sit with it. Call it out for what it is before you start to wonder how you change it.
Remember that you are not your thoughts. Nothing is validated just because it enters your mind and hangs out there for a bit. When you do notice thoughts that aren’t serving you, do your best to access a place of calm and stillness. For many, this will look like deep breathing and if possible, a change in environment.
Honor the Right to Say No
If you don’t create a plan around your priorities, someone else will make one for you. And it’s probably not going to serve your highest purpose. Trade-offs will require you to release the ‘do it all’ mentality and dig deep on what actually matters to you. Don’t commit to taking on more before you have the space in your life to enjoy and benefit from it.
When unwanted thoughts clutter your head or distracting obligations pop up on your calendar, call upon the new vision you’ve created for yourself. Center your thoughts and decisions on why that vision matters in order to make the best choice for space and freedom in your life.
Megan Sanchez is the owner of UpSwing Health Coaching. She works one-on-one with busy professionals, working parents and entrepreneurs who want to double their energy, revamp their lifestyle and live purposefully. Megan helps people develop habits that are built on super small, everyday commitments to nutrition, movement, and personal nourishment that feel good because your body tells you so, not because you’re following the latest trend. She loves both outdoor and urban adventures. She’s called DC home for 7 years.
To learn more, visit upswinghealthcoaching.com