This time of year always makes me think of spring showers, new beginnings, and spring cleaning! There’s just something refreshing about throwing open all the windows and giving everything a good washing! And while that’s true for our homes and our possessions, it can be even more true for our lives!
Imagine the same feeling of satisfaction you get with a freshly cleaned house…. now, apply that to how you’ll feel about your life! I mean really!…. When’s the last time you threw open the windows of your “self” and gave all the areas of your life a good cleaning? There’s no better time than right now!
What does “Spring Cleaning” mean to you? In our house, spring cleaning means getting into things and places that haven’t been seen for awhile, uncovering and exposing what might have been shoved into hidden places just to get them “out of sight”. It includes throwing away, giving away, keeping, cleaning and organizing. Imagine how your life could be different if you clean out what’s been hidden! How could your life be different if you “throw away” whatever trips you up, weighs you down, or brings out the worst in you? What if you “give away” any tasks or routines that no longer serve you? Now, imagine cleaning up and organizing what you decide to “keep”! How could your life be different if you took the time to do a little “Life Spring Cleaning”? You don’t have to just imagine! You can experience that “Spring Clean” feeling in your life today!
Follow these 5 easy steps to “Spring Clean” your life!
STEP 1
Name the different aspects of your life!
To do a thorough “Life Spring Cleaning” we need to know what we’re cleaning!
To help us get started let’s consider the 8 common areas of life found in the “Wheel of Life” exercise! These include, family/ friends, significant other, personal and spiritual growth, fun and leisure, home environment, career, money, and health. These categories, in addition to the following questions, can be used to help you put names to the areas of your life.
Who are you? What are your current responsibilities? What “hats” do you wear? What roles do you fill? Are you a ….. Mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, friend, employee, volunteer, co-worker, neighbor, business owner, employer?
Grab a piece of paper and a pen and make a list!
STEP 2
Name your goal!
Now that you’ve identified and named the areas of your life, it’s time to decide what you want from your “Life Spring Cleaning” project. When you’re done, what do you hope will be different? What do you want to be different? What’s your goal or desired outcome? What is motivating you to want to clean your “self-house”? Pause and add this to your list.
STEP 3
It’s time to brainstorm!
Now, keeping in mind what is motivating you to do a “Life Spring Cleaning” and on a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions –
- What could I STOP doing?
- What could I do LESS of?
- What could I do MORE of?
- What could I CONTINUE doing?
- What could I START doing?
Some of these questions might be easier to answer than others. It actually doesn’t matter which order you answer them! So, start with the question that seems the best place to begin for you! Whatever order you choose, try to think of 3- 5 actions for each question. If you think of more than 5 actions – great! Just add them to the list! Whatever you do, don’t prequalify your ideas! Just write them all down; whatever comes to your mind! Remember, this is a brainstorming session, it’s all about capturing your ideas. The list you’re creating is just an aide to help you work through the “how” you will do the “cleaning”!
STEP 4
Choose the actions you WILL do!
Once you’ve completed your brainstorming session it’s time to narrow and choose the actions that you are most likely to complete! Consider the actions you listed under each of the five questions above. Which of these actions inspires you the most? Which actions could make the biggest difference in your life? Circle the 3-5 actions that inspire you or resonate the most. Now, go back and put them in order of importance. Write these action items under your goal. This is the “how” you will clean your “self-house”!
STEP 5
Set a date for completion and share.
This is where the rubber hits the road! Once you choose the actions that you WILL accomplish it’s important to place a time of implementation or completion on it. Otherwise, there is no sense of urgency or accountability. When we make a promise to ourselves of getting something done or taking some kind of action and we write it down. It makes it real and our brain goes to work trying to look for ways to follow through. Sharing these desired actions with a friend or loved one brings in a sense of accountability and increases the chance of success by 70%!! Name your date of completion, write it down and then share your intended actions and timeframe with a trusted friend or relative.
This year, when you’re planning for your annual “spring cleaning”, remember to also throw open the windows of your “self-house” and give all the areas of your life a good thorough cleaning! Spring is after all, the best time for fresh starts and new beginnings! Happy “cleaning”!
Love and blessings,
Ruth
ps. Love yourself enough to take the time to clean your “self-house”!! I’d love to hear what actions you chose and how you plan to carry them out!