“Spring Cleaning” Your Life: The Power of Habit

Oh, the beauty of spring when the delicate flowers push through the soil and transform a dull winter landscape into a magical scene, bursting with colors. This transition from chilly grey winter to the warmth and beauty of spring is inspiring. Many people associate this time of seasonal transition with cleaning, decluttering, and beautifying their homes.

The Power of Habit: Tips for “Spring Cleaning” Your Life

As Christians, we need to think beyond the mere decluttering of our physical spaces, though I am not in any way trying to downplay the power of a clean and organized home. But it is important that we also spend time cleaning, decluttering, and beautifying our spiritual, mental, and emotional lives. When we intentionally make time to tend to the various aspects of our lives, we will find that we, like those enthusiastic spring buds, can blossom and grow, as well.

Make time for God

Springtime is the perfect time to refocus your eyes and heart on the Lord. It only takes a stroll through His creation as it comes to life in vibrant colors to realize the awesomeness of our God.

As winter fades and trees bloom, take a cue from nature and work toward growth in your relationship with God. Join a Bible study, dive deep into a theological class, or make time to talk about the Lord with a trusted friend. Whatever path you decide to pursue this season, make sure that it leads you to a more intimate relationship with the creator.

Streamline your schedule

Making time for God sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But to carve out time to be intentional with the Lord, you may have to streamline your daily schedule. Do you feel like you have no freedom in your day?

Most people have unnecessary daily rituals that are a waste of time and energy. It may seem as if you are only spending a few minutes scrolling through social media or a few extra seconds to triple-check that you unplugged the coffee pot, but those minutes and seconds accumulate and can take a significant chunk of time out of your day.

If you pause and analyze your routine critically, you may find many wasted moments. Consider what actions are necessary and how you could accomplish them more efficiently (take a photo of the unplugged coffee pot so you don’t have to walk back and check it again).

Make realistic decisions about how each of these extemporaneous tasks are contributing to your life. Are they adding value to your day (connecting with friends via text) or negatively impacting you (comparing yourself to your successful friend on Facebook)?

Commit to eliminating or reducing those things that are affecting you negatively. You will be surprised at all the extra time you will have in your day.

Declutter your space

Decluttering your physical living and working spaces is part of the societal ritual of spring cleaning, but it is also an effective way to improve your mental health. A cluttered and disorganized space can contribute to stress and anxiety. “Where are my keys?” you ask. They are probably under that unfiled stack of mail or in the pocket of your jeans in the dirty laundry pile.

Having a clutter-free and clean space means you can move more freely around your environment. It means being able to find things, like keys, more easily because everything will be in its proper place.

It also means that keeping and maintaining your space will be easier because you don’t have so many possessions to handle which makes for a more peaceful lifestyle. And as a bonus, decluttering your space also frees up time that you would otherwise be using looking for those “stupid keys”.

Assess and address mental health issues

Just as eliminating and organizing our material possessions can lead to freedom, decluttering our mental, emotional, and spiritual lives is also important. Assess your mental health and decide what areas need attention. Are you struggling with that trauma of the past? Now is the time to deal with the obstacles and weights that have been preventing you from living a beautiful and intentional life.

Make that appointment with your therapist you’ve been putting off. Start writing in that gratitude journal or reconcile that broken relationship. Go back to church or dive deep into that lovely daily devotional. Let this spring be a renaissance in your life by taking control of it, removing the negative influences and weighty encumbrances, and filling that space with seeds of positive change.

Start a new habit or hobby

Just as farmers and gardeners are using this time to plant seeds in fresh soil, you should take this season to encourage growth in your own life. If you’ve worked hard to till the soil in your life by removing unnecessary items, negative emotions, and hazardous habits, you are probably looking for positive things to sow in those empty spaces.

Consider adding a creative pursuit to your spare time such as dancing or painting, or create a new habit of reading your Bible before bedtime every night (See Make Time for God, above). Experts say it takes about three weeks of consistent faithfulness to your new habit to establish a routine, so be regimented about it for at least twenty-one days to integrate these positive changes into your life.

Lighten up

Take a cue from nature this spring. Have you ever noticed how animals seem to “frolic” in the springtime sun? After a cold and dreary winter season, many animals spring to life as they enjoy the abundance of new resources and the warm spring sun.

If you are emerging from a dark and dreary season in your life, you should find hope in the fact that you too can frolic in the Son. Life can become serious as obligations mount and pressures rise. This stress can sometimes make life feel more like a chore than a blessing, so it’s important to infuse your life with moments of pleasure and silly delight, just like those rambunctious bunnies who nibble on your garden plants.

Even if your schedule feels jam-packed with errands and obligations, you can still find time to enjoy a few moments of excitement. Keep weekends relatively free of errands to allow spontaneity and positive social interactions.

Adding fun into your life doesn’t mean attending a comedy show or visiting a theme park, although that would be great, wouldn’t it? It means being intentional about infusing a few moments to play a round of that famous online word game or occasionally opting to watch a comedy instead of the news. Whatever brings joy to your life should be a regular part of your life. In other words, don’t be so serious!

New Season, New You

Springtime is a season of new beginnings and beautiful growth. If you are in a dreary and cold season in your life, realize that this is your time for a rebirth. Don’t let this time of natural inspiration and opportunity fade without addressing the aspects of your life that are holding you back and preventing growth and maturity.

No matter what is weighing you down, whether it’s clutter around your home, a childhood trauma, a complicated relationship, a spiritual disconnect, or an emotional or mental disorder, you can overcome these obstacles. You may just need a little help along the way. Consider asking a professionally trained mental health specialist to walk alongside you as you journey through this difficult or transitional season.

God never meant for us to walk alone and has provided a way for you to partner with a therapist who can help you identify your areas of challenge and offer you practical ways to address these issues. As you work on spring cleaning your life, reach out to a mental health professional who can help you blossom and grow into the person God intended you to be. Contact our office today to learn more.