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Spring Clean Your Life

Spring is a time of rebirth and growth. We are inspired to de-clutter and create space for clarity and creativity. We often make time to de-clutter and re-organize our physical environment however we forget about clearing up our internal environment. Spring’s energy can be a great time to assess our lives. It provides an opportunity to shift anything that doesn’t seem to be in alignment with our truth and values. It is easy to fall into autopilot mode, succumbing to conditioned, mechanical patterns of thought and behaviors – most of which is unconscious, handed down to us from culture and upbringing. Living in unawareness leads to a sense of discontent and disconnect from ourselves. Whether it be our morning routines, relationships, behaviors, career, hobbies or the way we spend our downtime, taking the time to shift in these areas in a way that is truer to us can prove to be one of the best things we can do for our well-being and re-birth. Listed below are some steps we can take to start de-cluttering and live a life aligned with our values:

Take responsibility.

Notice what areas in your life deplete you or don’t seem to be bringing much joy or happiness. One of the easiest ways to tell if something in your life is out of alignment with your values is that it feels stressful or burdensome. Therefore, it’s essential to figure out some ways you can shift or change the situation. For example, if you are unhappy in a relationship, romantic or otherwise, how can you shift or change to make it more in alignment with what works for you? How are you responsible for the current situation and what can you do differently? It may mean just finding acceptance or changing your mindset

Identify your values.

Make a list of the things you value in life. Take a look at this list and identify a couple of ways you can start taking steps to be in alignment with these values. You might value community or team-work, moving your body to relieve stress or honest communication. Consider, for example, someone who values community or teamwork. Finding ways to implement collaborative workplace practices might help you find greater fulfillment or enjoyment in your career.

Find your truth in stillness.

There are many things that stop people from living a life that’s true to them. One of those reasons is that they don’t possess values that are true to them. By taking the time to be still and practice mindfulness, we become aware of where we are stuck on autopilot. It’s the ‘art of conscious living,’ as Jon Kabat-Zinn likes to say. Taking the time to be still and reflect gives us the capacity not only to ‘listen to our hearts’ and to stay in touch with what’s meaningful to us, but it also gives us the ability to respond (from our values) and not to react (from old conditioning). In other words, mindfulness is necessary in order to LIVE your values on a daily basis. There is a steep price to pay for not living according to ‘what’s true to you.’ When life feels ‘wrong’ many people try to ‘fill up’ through external pleasuring, numbing, or distracting him/herself by keeping busy. Until you come back to living your truth, those efforts to ‘fix’ things externally will most likely be unsuccessful. Re-organizing and re-prioritizing the way you live your life can make all the difference.