124: a different kind of spring cleaning

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When spring finally rolls around, it’s time to do some deep cleaning of the house and the barn. But what I’ve recently considered is that spring is also a time to do some deep cleaning of your life and your self. Read on for more of my thoughts, or check out the podcast episode for a more in depth discussion. You can also watch the 3 minute video at the bottom of the post for the highlights!

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Spring cleaning your self:

The point of a good ol’ traditional spring cleaning is to get rid of all the junk. We deep clean. We dig into the corners and cabinets and behind the furniture that we don’t normally get to when we’re doing that quick everyday cleaning. We take time to organize and declutter. And when it’s all done you think yes, that feels good. And you feel like you’re heading into a new season, starting fresh and clean.

Well, we can do that with ourselves too. And honestly, I’ve needed to do some serious spring cleaning of myself—physically and mentally.

Now, this isn’t just some woo-woo, feel-good, mystical self-help stuff. I want you consider that spring cleaning your self is a way to get your self ready for the future, so you can be your best for whatever comes next. Spring cleaning your self is part of preparing. Any prepper worth their weight knows that physical health and mental clarity is just as important as how much food, fuel, or ammo you have stored.

Note: You can’t just attack this all at once. Just like this spring cleaning a house, you have to do it in pieces. Room by room. Closet by closet. This isn’t a wipe a rag across the surface, this is a deep dig in and clean things up.

Things to get rid of

When tackling the spring cleaning of your life and your self, here are some things to consider cleaning out:

The “stuff ” of winter:

brain fog
tiredness
the sluggish blah feeling
lack of motivation/momentum
eating too much crap

Stuff that’s bringing you down:

guilt
self-hate
negativity
“I can’t”
incorrect focus

What’s weighing on you:

First, check to make sure that the thing that’s weighing on you isn’t just something that’s bringing you down. But something weighing on you is sometimes a sign to pay attention (something isn’t right, something seems amiss) or finally take a breath and do that thing you need to do. Dig into those things and solve them.

Are you in the wrong job?
Do you need to ask for a raise?
Does your brother not understand boundaries?
Do you have a medical issue that needs to be checked out by a professional?
Do you need to change your approach in marketing your side hustle?

Things you don’t understand:

Sometimes we are stuck in our lives simply because we don’t know something. Invest in some time in education. Maybe you want to learn about tarot cards or bitcoin or how to start a podcast. Find people who can teach you. That’s why community is important.

Things that aren’t moving you forward:

Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have things that are just for you. A lazy day spent on the couch reading a smutty novel. A fancy coffee. Putting purple streaks in your hair. Sitting on the porch drinking a beer. Time spent in the garage putzing on a project just because you want to tinker with something. I believe self-care looks different for everyone, and you need self-care to make you okay. If you’ re not okay, you can’t move forward.

What I’m talking about here is be aware of where you’re spending your time and energy, and consider whether it’s moving you further in your life.

And yes, complaining and venting, to a certain point, can move you forward. But what doesn’t necessarily move you forward is listening to a podcaster/YouTuber/news anchor/etc. who is really fired up about something and they drag you into it and get you all fired up. And the next day it’s the same and the next day it’s the same and the next day it’s the same.

And nothing changes.

And nothing happens.

And nothing gets done about that thing that they’re really fired up about that now you’re really fired up about.

When it comes to current events, figure out ways to get information that will help you to be productive with that information. If nothing more happens than someone’s veins popping out of their neck because they’re so angry again… that’s not changing the situation, is it?

We understand this on a much smaller but similar scale when it’s a family member/acquaintance who wants to complain to us again about how they don’t have enough money, or their boyfriend is (still) a jerk, or their kid (still) won’t help with the dishes.

How long is it before we’re wondering, hey, do you just want to complain, or do you want to actually try to fix things?

Work hard. Make changes. Do what you can to make things better. Spring is a time to clean things up and move forward!