Spring Cleaning: 3 Simple Steps to Renew Your Mind, Body, and Soul
Like in nature, our lives have seasons. Sometimes we experience a season of slow growth or extra stress. We may need to hunker down and protect precious energy. During the cold winter months here in Northeast Ohio, things slow down and freeze up. Energy is conserved and new growth stalls. During spring, it all thaws out. Plants explode with fresh buds, animals bustle to create new life, and a palpable energy revives the world around me. It's an exciting time of renewal, growth, and transformation
Spring always signals to me a time of transition; a time to declutter and clean - not just my physical space but my thoughts, obligations, and habits. It's also the perfect time for YOU to hit the reset button, re-energize and refocus on your priorities. Take a page from Mother Nature and create your renewal this spring.
(Modeling Mother Nature is a smart idea. After all, she's been perfecting this seasonal change thing for over 3 billion years, so it's a pretty trusted, science-backed process.😉)
Table of Contents
#1. Identify the areas that need your attention.
#2: Determine your path to renewal.
#3: Commit to renewal this Spring.
#1. Identify the areas that need your attention.
Look at the Life Compass. First, identify the top one or two areas you feel need your attention the most over the next few months. Then, consider one small shift you could make in each of the other life areas that would bring you into greater alignment and fulfillment.
#2: Determine your path to renewal.
Below is a list of questions to help you shape your path to renewing your body, mind, and soul. Ask yourself each question and answer yourself honestly. Each question is followed by an exercise, activity, or other action you can employ to begin renewing your mind, body, and soul.
What beliefs, thoughts, behaviors, or habits do you want to shed?
If you are looking to shed a limiting belief, thought, behavior, or habit, you've got to start with awareness. Your thoughts and habits either support you or take you away from your best self and the reality you want to create. The first step is to be aware of your mindset and thoughts. Recognize negative thoughts that are not serving you and replace them with positive, empowering thoughts. This allows you to shift your thinking, behaviors, and habits, which ultimately leads to a more fulfilling life. Remember, where your mind goes, energy flows, and it's important to build self-command of your thoughts to achieve the results you desire.
What obligations or tasks can I delete, delegate or automate to create more time and energy for what’s important and brings me joy?
This can seem overwhelming and it's often hard to know where to start. I encourage you to start by gathering all your commitments, tasks, and relationships on paper and use three different colored markers or pens to represent delete, delegate, and automate. Circle commitments or tasks that you need to say no to and delete from your life immediately. These are things that are not serving you or that are not a good use of your time or energy.
For tasks that you can delegate, identify the people who can help you get them done. Finally, look for tasks or activities that you can automate to free up mental energy. This exercise creates space in your life, allowing you to prioritize tasks and activities that align with your priorities and give you energy. Remember, it's okay to put tasks on a pause list and prioritize them later. The key is to be aware of what you have time for and what will align with your priorities.
To have more energy each day, what’s one habit I need to start and one habit I need to stop right away?
It's important to fuel your body with healthy habits and generate energy every day. Begin by accepting that you have to generate your own energy and that means shifting some habits and adding a few things to generate more energy. One simple and essential habit is to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.
Additionally, starting a morning routine can help you get your body moving, set intentions for the day, and power up. Taking time to move your body and get your mind going in the morning can help you generate more energy throughout the day. Another simple way to generate energy is by checking your posture, straightening it out, and taking a deep breath. Good posture not only generates energy but also increases your confidence.
To sustain your energy levels throughout the day, take a quick break every 60 to 90 minutes, close your eyes, breathe, and step away from work. Finally, drink water instead of sugary drinks and eat whole foods instead of processed foods. Mastering these simple ways can make a big difference in your day and help you generate more energy to renew your mind, body, and soul.
What dream or relationship do I want to cultivate with more focus, presence, and positive energy?
Be intentional about cultivating your dreams and relationships. If you have a dream that's important to you, it's essential to schedule a time to work on it. Schedule at least 30 minutes every day to work on your dream and make it a priority by putting it on your calendar. This time allows you to think, write, and test things out. Being intentional about your dream means making time for it, so it doesn't stay in your head and never become a reality.
For relationships, it's important to focus on quality time rather than quantity. Be present and engaged in the moment with the person, giving them your full attention and eye contact. 30 minutes of true, focused presence with another person is more meaningful and creates a deeper connection than three hours of distracted time spent with them. Focus on the quality of time, not just the amount of time, and see how meaningful and valued that person feels. Your presence can have a bigger impact than the time you spend together, so be intentional about your time and your presence to cultivate meaningful relationships.
How can I fuel a greater appreciation for life each day?
Be intentional with your time and energy. Instead of being negative, complaining, or frustrated, shift your energy to focus on being grateful, positive, and caring. You can make this simple shift by using gratitude to focus your mind on what's good in your life and what you appreciate. By asking yourself what's good in your life, you can shift your mindset from scarcity and negativity into abundance and appreciation. This shift will connect you back to the present moment, allowing you to cultivate your presence and engagement in your day and relationships. Being intentional about your energy and mindset will totally shift how you show up in any room with any person.
When can you intentionally connect with nature, your spirituality, or intuitive power?
To access your intuitive power, it's important to quiet your mind and connect with your body. Many people struggle to access their intuitive power because they are stuck in their heads, overthinking, and consumed by fear. To combat this, try a quick release meditation or other technique to get out of your head and into your body. One such technique is slowing down your breath, doing some belly breathing, and releasing tension to re-center into the moment. Once you are in a place of calm centeredness, ask yourself a question and see what comes out. That's your intuitive power speaking to you.
#3: Commit to renewal this Spring.
Now that you know where - and how - to bring renewal into your life this spring, commit to renewal. Schedule time in your calendar right now to do whatever it is you need to (begin your morning routine, ask yourself what you're grateful for each day, meditate, etc.) and protect that time.
If you're thinking that you don't “have time” to take care of yourself, start over. Make sure you're focusing on only one or two areas of the Life Compass. If you still don't feel you have time, then revisit the delete, delegate, or automate exercise and free up space for these renewal shifts.
Remember, no one else will clear your schedule for you and prioritize this renewal! It's on you. Make it happen. You are worth it. Renewal is part of life and is necessary for all of us to realign to priorities, grow in new ways, and fuel joy.
If you've felt sluggish or sloth-like throughout the cold winter months, that's OK. We all feel it in some form. Accept it and leave that energy where it belongs (in winter). It's time to step into spring.
One Degree Shifts Can Help
At One Degree Shifts, I can help you identify the areas to spring clean in your life so that you can hit the reset button, re-energize and refocus on your priorities. Get in touch today and begin the shift to fueling yourself with remarkable clarity, confidence, vibrancy, intention, and joy.
