A Spring Cleaning Round Up!

I share a lot about making space in your life for the stuff you really want instead of wasting your energy managing the stuff you don’t. To support that, this week I’m challenging you to make progress on at least one thing in some key areas of your life.

Let’s capitalize on the renewed energy of springtime (well, for those of you in the northern hemisphere anyway) by doing a little weeding here and a little weeding there.

Even the smallest action stirs up stale energy, gives you more clarity than you had before, prompts new growth, and opens space for it to flourish.

Ready?

PHYSICAL CLUTTER
Instead of looking at all that needs sorting, schedule just one Pom round this week on an area or type of physical clutter that has been really bugging you. As a reminder, a “Pom” round (short for Pomodoro Technique round) is a 25-minute chunk of time when you focus on a specific task at hand.

Let’s use paperwork as an example since that’s a common one. Spend the time sorting a stack into just two piles: Keep and Recycle. Anything that you’re unsure of goes in the Keep pile.

When the 25-minute timer chimes, put the recycling in the bin or shred it, and voila! Progress!

MENTAL CLUTTER
It’s hard to focus when you feel overwhelmed and pulled in a million different directions. My go-to tool for that? The mind dump.

When I’m struggling to make a decision, access my creativity or resourcefulness, or just feel emotional, I pull out a pad of paper and a pen and I empty my brain. I write down anything and everything that’s on my mind without worrying about spelling or grammar or even if it’s legible! Just write, write, write and get it all out.

As you’ve likely heard me say before, we often use our brain as a container when it is a computer. Load down the hard drive and the processor will drag. So dump that mind and get it revving again!

RELATIONSHIP CLUTTER
Is there someone in your life who you’re mad at? Disappointed in? Hurt by? Are you carrying around these feelings every day? If so, you have relationship clutter, my friend.

To take some initial steps in dealing with this tricky situation, consider how important this person is to you. Is he or she someone you love having in your life? Is the relationship worth the work to repair it or is it time to say goodbye? Do you wish this person was someone they’re not?

That paper and pen will come in handy here, too. Write about how that person makes you feel. What did he or she do to hurt you or make you mad? Maybe even write them a blunt, no-holds-barred letter — not to send, but to help process your emotions.

Once you’ve done it, then you can consider if it would be worth having a conversation with him or her, but for now, let it rip!

LIMITING BELIEFS
What are the main plot lines in the stories you tell yourself?

That you don’t have what it takes?

That people are always out to get you?

That you’re too old to try something new?

That it’s not okay to ask for help?

These outdated rules have seen their day and it’s now time to update your inner operating system. For a doable first step, start by identifying a belief that might be holding you back.

Look for where in your life you feel stuck. What do you tell yourself about it? How do you convince yourself to not do anything about it? You’ll likely find a blocking belief there.

When you feel ready to take this cleaning a step further, check out my blog post, 5 Steps to Flip a Blocking Belief.

Whichever area you choose for this challenge, your very first action is to schedule a time for it.

Like right now.