It’s spring: a time for rebirth and renewal, new beginnings, and of course, cleaning! While we might tend to focus more on putting away our winter clothes and tidying up the house, it’s also a good time to check your emotional health and well-being. It might be due for some thorough cleansing! Read on below for 3 ways to spring clean your heart.
1. Let go of the things that weigh heavy on your heart.
Over the past few months (and probably even years), you might have accumulated some items that are taking up space in your heart. Some of these might be good, but others might also be bad. These are the hurts, grudges, and painful memories that we, for one reason or another, continue to store. We try to ignore them, but every now and then these bottled up feelings rear their ugly heads and catch us off guard.
It’s time to open up the boxes and take a good look at these things. Breathe and reflect. Try to relive any memories with detachment. Observe your feelings and your thoughts. Afterwards, accept that they happened, forgive yourself and anyone involved, then let it go.
It might be a deeply emotional experience, or a surprisingly easy one. However it turns out for you, try to remember that there is no point in keeping these negative emotions. Learn your lesson, then throw them away. It will feel wonderful afterwards.
2. Uproot those beliefs that no longer serve you.
Our world is changing everyday. Similar to apps and software that need updates, we have to upgrade ourselves to adapt and improve. One of the ways to spring clean your heart is to uproot those long-held beliefs that no longer serve you. Some of them are from a different time and culture that are so deeply ingrained in us, we forget we even have them.
Of course, a number of these are beautiful values and honorable principles. We must uphold and pass down these convictions. But there are also others that cause us to degrade people or devalue ourselves. We have to re-examine these beliefs and try to figure out where they came from. Are they vestiges of colonialism, plain superstition, or a mindset caused by hardships when you were still a child? Check how they affect you. Do they build you up and allow you to relate with others in a positive way? Or do they do the opposite and create a bias in your head against people you don’t even know?
You might be surprised at what you find. Some of them affect our thoughts automatically and we don’t even notice. When you reflect on these and determine they aren’t doing you any good, try to pack them up and let them go. This definitely can’t be done in an instant, especially for those that we’ve learned as children. Slowly but surely though, you can rewire your brain and unlearn these beliefs.
One way is to replace these with something better. For example, you might unconsciously subscribe to the notion that bringing others down helps you succeed. Replace this with the belief that lifting each other up will lead to true success. It is one that is built on the foundation of teamwork and unity, not distrust and selfishness. Over time, you will be able to hold this as true and see the old belief as false.
Here are more ways to change those beliefs holding you back from TED.
3. Unpack the positive and wear them proudly.
After throwing away the old and unwanted baggage, it’s time to take out the good things and shake them out. In the process of cleaning out the bad, you might have uncovered some good. These can come in the form of precious memories, forgotten skills, or relaxing hobbies. Dust them off and put them to use!
Let those good beliefs (old and new) come into display by applying them in your life. Wear them proudly in the way you relate to others, the choices you make, and the actions you take. These will guide you through and beyond spring.
Another way to unpack the positive is to give thanks. Be grateful for a new beginning and a chance to polish not only your home, but to spring clean your heart as well. If it’s not yet part of your routine, consider adopting a gratitude attitude into your daily life with these steps.
Apply these ways to spring clean your heart today!
Spring cleaning is a wonderful way to start anew and prepare for another season. This is why we must clean out our hearts so we can live our lives to the fullest without the weight of things we no longer need. While it may take some time and effort, the results are well worth it. I hope you can apply these ways to spring clean your heart today!
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