Winter is a time to bring joy and love into the homes and lives of those that we love… yada yada yada. We’ve all heard that before. But when the snow (or lack thereof) melts to slush and everything outside is dead and brown, winter doesn’t seem like “the most wonderful time of the year.” Eventually, we all feel the need to escape that icy cold wind and the chilly disposition that winter seems to put us under. Our lives and surroundings become more and more cluttered as winter progresses. So now, as the weather gets warmer, we need to take the initiative and dust off the cobwebs in our cars, rooms, minds and lives. It’s time for some serious spring cleaning.
Surroundings
No matter how hard you try, you can’t get rid of stress in your life if you can’t even see the floor of your bedroom. If you are living a life surrounded with excess mess and clutter, it’s time to change. No, you are not the exception. Changing the way you organize your surroundings will indeed help you.
Start by setting a few hours – a whole Saturday if you are in clutter crisis – aside to really dig in and organize your room, car, schoolwork and whatever else might need it. Figure out a system that works best for you and run with it. Having a consistently organized life and surroundings can really change the way you look at your life.
But, if we’re being honest, I personally hate the thought of cleaning my room. I never, ever, ever want to do it. Ever. But once I finally do it, after weeks of nagging from my mom, it’s amazing how refreshed and clear-minded I feel. Having a clean, organized surrounding can boost your mood and make you feel more optimistic.
Find unique ways to organize and design your surroundings. Change them up and make them interesting. Use ideas from online (Pinterest), or simply let your creativity flow. Cleaning and organizing don’t have to be chores. You can make them something fun, something you look forward to doing. Put on a fresh coat of paint (literally or figuratively) for a change of scene – anything to make you feel excited about your free, open, organized life.
Mind
We all know that, sometimes, the real cause of our stress isn’t all of the things we have to do or the situations we are dealing with, but how we handle them. If you let everything get cluttered in the craziness of your mind, you are never going to be able to truly organize your life.
Start by writing down your thoughts on paper. Whether they are inspiring, happy, angry, confused – anything. Writing can help clear your mind and de-stress after a hectic day. And it’s a good way to look back, a year from now, and see how far you’ve come in your life. By making lists, writing in a journal or diary, blogging or writing letters to the people you care about, your life can become more meaningful, and more documented.
Writing doesn’t have to be the only thing to help you organize your thoughts – it just happens to be mine. You need to find your niche. Whether it be drawing, painting, running, cooking, biking or bungee jumping (okay, maybe not that), finding that one thing that you love and that helps you unwind is critical. This spring cleaning cannot occur without a change of pace and a change of mindset.
Life
It seems like a funny concept – decluttering your life. But what I really mean is to sort out your priorities. Focus on what is really important. Having peace with the things that you can’t change and the willingness to change the things you can.
If we put all of our attention into worrying and fretting about every little aspect of our lives, we wouldn’t have any time or energy to actually enjoy living.
Keep a calendar and make sure you have all of your events sorted out. Looking through it daily can help keep you focused on your goals and get you excited about the future, instead of wallowing in whatever is bringing you down today.
If someone is giving you troubles or hurting you, talk it out. Holding in your stress, anxiety and hurt can be unhealthy. If you talk it out and make your problems known, solving them is a lot easier.
Essentially, simplify your life and who you spend it with. Give time to the people who make you feel loved and appreciated and don’t worry about trying to be accepted by those who don’t. They’re not worth it. If someone means a lot to you, tell them. Nothing can brighten someone’s day like knowing he or she is loved.
Now, all of this advice is easier said than done. So, start small. Make a list of daily goals – whether it is to finish everything on your to-do list, write in your planner or a simple act of random kindness. Eventually, you will find yourself doing these things without having to think about them. Like anything, it may be hard at first, but the results will pay off. Cleansing your life of unwanted stress and worry can lift a giant weight off of your shoulders. Trust me.
