4 spring cleaning tasks for your mental health

The sun shines brighter and brighter, the days grow a little longer and pollen covers everything as far as the eye can see. This can only mean one thing. It means “spring has come”.

The dawn of spring has many different meanings for each of us, but perhaps most distinctively it symbolizes the opportunity for a new start.

The idea of ​​spring cleaning may be a little boring, but it gives us a chance to evaluate what we currently have and decide if it still serves a purpose for us, if it brings us joy, and if there’s meaning to the life we’re living right now.

Self-talk refers to what we tell ourselves about ourselves, and is often shaped by how we were spoken to early in life. Self-talk tends to be more positive when people are praised when they do something well or encouraged when they make a mistake. However, if we are frequently criticized or made to feel unimportant, our self-talk can become more negative. Positive self-talk is highly correlated with confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of competence.

To better understand your self-talk, try the following: Set a day in the coming weeks to record what you say to yourself when you’re proud, when you doubt, or when you fail. Is it more positive or negative?

If it’s wrong in a negative way, I want you to think about how you would react to a friend who shared what you wrote in your log. You will likely be caring, considerate, and encouraging. Now practice using that same kindness toward yourself in the future.

2. Organize your digital space

It’s not just your physical space that needs a little organization from time to time. It can also be helpful to pay attention to where we live digitally, as digital clutter can be overwhelming.

Take the time to delete old text threads and contacts you no longer communicate with. Audit your social media accounts to evaluate who and what you follow and unfollow accounts that don’t make you feel good about yourself.

Check the photo albums on your device and organize your photos into albums. Decide what you want to print or otherwise save, and what you can delete. Especially all those screenshots you told yourself to go back to but never did.

3. Pave the way to what you want

Life is so monotonous that we sometimes find ourselves sticking to the same routine every day just because it’s easier and we’re used to it. And if you are a caregiver in some way, the demands and responsibilities of caring for others may often take precedence over what you want for yourself.

However, when we are in tune with our own needs and desires, we tend to feel more satisfied and fulfilled, and less resentful and angry. Spring is the perfect time to consider goals and aspirations you’ve been putting off and take steps toward achieving them.

Our emotional closets may also house bags of these “stuff.” There are also disappointments that we have not been able to reconcile. The grudges we still hold because we were hurt. Sadness related to the loss of opportunities or relationships.

Sometimes it may feel easier to just keep the closet door closed so you don’t have to deal with these things, but it’s very likely that their influence is manifesting in your life in some way. Perhaps by feeling more irritable, more anxious, or feeling isolated.

One way to work through these feelings is to keep a journal. Grab a notebook (if you don’t already have a journal) and complete this exercise. If you take this bag of “stuff” out of your closet, what will you find there? How did it get there? What is the meaning of holding on to it, and what kind of support is needed to let it go?

Just write down everything that comes to mind. Don’t judge it or try to understand it, just write what comes to mind. Getting your thoughts out on paper can help you process your emotions and think about the “stuff” that is holding you back.

Would you like to try something new this spring to improve your mental health? We’d love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts with us at drjoy@ajc.com.