Spring is here and it's time to say "goodbye" to winter! Spring is the perfect time to reset and renew. As thoughts turn to clearing out old stuff, it's also a good time to learn how to declutter your mind.
That thin layer of dust can be swept away and the windows thrown open to let in some much needed fresh air. As you're tidying your space, it may help you to sort through your mental space, your beliefs.
We may finally admit that we don't need a drawer stuffed full with carrier bags or 20 mismatched plastic food containers. But, even though it can be satisfying to ditch stuff, we care really good at hanging on to it, just in case.
Who else will admit to stashing some clothes away in the recesses of a cupboard? Clothes which may have fitted or which you hoped would fit someday? Ditching those 2008 low rise jeans can feel like a wrench too far and so back in the cupboard they go, just in case.
Have you ever wondered what is going through your mind as you work out your 'just in case' scenario? Have you ever thought about the emotional attachment you've put on your stuff?
Maybe those jeans were worn at a Coldplay concert or on the beach with flip flops and sun streaked hair? Maybe you bought them at a flea market? Whatever it was, it could have been any item of clothing and you will have a memory attached to it. You know that pulling on those jeans wont transport you back to good times, but they are holding on to the memories you've stored deep in your unconscious mind.
So, how do you decide what to let go of and what you can't do without? While you're thinking about this, you could think about how you hold on to 'clutter thoughts'. Thoughts which you had once and probably believed. Thoughts which are no longer fit for purpose, yet you are reluctant to let them go.
How to declutter your mind
Identitfy those limiting beliefs which are stuffed away.
- Where did they come from?
- Who told you?
- How do you now they are true?
Make the decision to ditch them
- Throwing away old outdated thoughts will make space for fresh new ones
- Reframing your narrative from "I can't" to "I may be able to." will create new neural pathways
Replace those negative thoughts with good ones.
(Spoiler alert: the unconscious mind can't tell real from imagined.)
- Visualise or imagine doing things differently.
- Say yes to opportunities even if you feel nervous.
- Accept (wanted!) compliments even if you feel uncomfortable.
You will be amazed at how quickly your mindset starts to move into this new way of doing things! Your fresh, uncluttered way of thinking is waiting to be brought out of the cupboard.
Try reading Declutter The get-real guide to creating calm from chaos by Debora Robertson. This gentle guide asks us to consider the emotional attachment we place on stuff and how to work through it.
Maybe it is time to ditch those low rise jeans after all...In the words of Coldplay, "Viva La Vida"