spray bottles, gloves, sponge, and tulips
Spring is just around the corner! It’s the season of fresh starts and new beginnings. It’s a time when we’re encouraged to clean our homes and organize our lives. It’s also a great time to give a little attention to renewing your mental health as well. Here are some tips for spring cleaning your mental health:
1. Declutter your physical space. A clean and organized space can help clear your mind and improve your mood.
2. Let go of negative thoughts. Spring is a time of renewal and growth. Take some time to reflect on any negative thoughts or beliefs that may be holding you back.
3. Create a self-care routine. Use spring cleaning as an opportunity to create a self-care routine that works for you.
4. Connect with others. Spring is a great time to reconnect with friends and family members. Bonus points if it’s outside!
5. Practice gratitude. Gratitude has been shown to have a positive impact on mental and emotional wellbeing.
What is a Spiritual Spring Cleaning?
A spiritual spring cleaning is when we take stock of our spiritual lives to clean out our hearts and souls. This can include our prayers, our relationship with God, our views on the world around us, how we treat others, our sense of purpose, or anything else that impacts your spiritual life.
If we desire clean hearts, we must start by asking for them. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me,” (Psalm 51:10). After we’ve prayed for guidance, we need to step into the clutter and grime of our hearts, and let the cleaning begin!
Spiritual Spring Cleaning in 4 Steps
1. Scan for big problems you might have overlooked.
Take some time to think through the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2–17) in the Bible. Are there any you’re not living out fully? If you find you’re tripping over one of these, confess it, and ask God to sweep, or spiritually spring clean, your sin away.
2. Dust off your irritations.
Think of the things (or people) that annoy you regularly, and ask yourself if anything is going on in your own heart that contributes to the problem. To do your spiritual spring cleaning, let go of the negative things in your life and invite the positive ones in, like peace, hope, and love. And remember, “[love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5).
3. Consider the clutter of your days.
What could you fling from your life that’s cluttering your relationship with God? One TV show a day? A tidbit of gossip when you get together with friends? An indulgence that might be cultivating a spirit of selfishness? Look to the small things. The Bible warns us that it’s “the little foxes that ruin the vineyards” (Song of Solomon 2:15).
4. Contemplate what’s lacking.
What we fail to do often depletes our spiritual health as much as what we do wrong. We want to be among those to whom Christ says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:35-36). As you do your spiritual spring cleaning, think of what more you can do in your life to help others and live with spiritual wellbeing.
God longs to purify you from your sins, to wash you and make your heart “whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7)…every season of the year. Take the steps to undergo a spiritual spring cleaning and it will benefit your life through the spring season and beyond.
Resources
https://guideposts.org/prayer/bible-resources/deepen-your-faith/4-steps-to-spring-clean-your-spirit
Mindful moments with
Mabel Martinez-Almonte,
MA, OTR/L, NCC
If you or someone you know is in a crisis, get help immediately. You can text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
DISCLAIMER: The content on this blog is generated for entertainment or/and informative purposes, but not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or behavioral health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition.