Spring clean up is a term almost everyone associates with. When we say Spring
clean, what comes to mind? Probably cleaning out your car, getting rid of the crusty salt
stains on your mats. Perhaps de-cluttering your garage, tune-ups on your lawn mowers
or even swapping sweaters for sandals in your closet. Spring is an energizing time for
Michiganders, as we have hibernated for months and now have that burst of excitement
for warmer temperatures and bright colors.
As we begin setting up our patio furniture and planting our gardens, it’s important
to pause and reflect on what emotional seeds we are planting too. Fall is a great time to
let go of things that no longer serve us, and winter is a great season for self-care and
comfort. Spring is the perfect time to set goals for yourself, but be sure to do emotional
spring cleaning along with your yard. When gardening, we plant seeds with the intention
of blooming. While perennial plants return year after year, it’s important to maintain their
environment so they can survive. Part of spring cleanup is to remove the barriers in their
environment. Sweep away dead leaves that got stuck underneath a blanket of snow.
Pull out lingering dead roots and de-thatch your lawn. Plants will push through and keep
growing through a layer of thatch, but clearing the environment from debris allows them
to grow faster. Easier. Stronger. Our gardens absorb the sun and water more, allowing
them to thrive instead of just surviving.
The same can be said for mental health. How can we clean our mental
environment? What emotional debris is lingering that may stunt our growth? What
thoughts, habits, relationships have died over the winter and are creating a barrier we
need to push through? Reflect on that emotional thatch and ask yourself if it is stunting
your growth. Warmer temperatures are on the way, finally allowing us to escape
hibernation and blossom to our fullest extent. Lift the blanket of seasonal depression
and renew our minds so we too have a fresh start. Much like gardens, people respond
to the environment they live in, and this is the perfect season for emotional growth. Set
new goals. Sweep away bad relationships. Refresh and water healthy habits. Make a
clean internal space and nurture it with sun to grow into the best version of yourself. As
you organize and plant new bulbs this season, make sure to clean up your roots too.
As you watch your flowers blossom, growing taller than they ever have, you likely will
find that you are too.