The mini farm animals and tiny flower buds poking up through the ground this time of year serve as a reminder and motivation to engage in our own growth. One of the best ways to do this is through the ritual of spring cleaning. Here are four ways to spring clean that will enhance all areas of your life. 

Clean House

The obvious. When we live in dirt and disorganization we feel dirty and disorganized. We lose time searching for keys or important documents. We berate our clothing choices every time we open the closet. Our mental health takes a beating as a result. We feel stressed, overwhelmed, and out of control. When our homes are clean, uncluttered, and organized we feel calm, optimistic, and in control. Our creativity is even heightened as a result and who can’t use a bit more of that.

Jump Start Diet and Exercise

New Year’s Day is often the start of “beach bod season,” which anyone who belongs to a gym can attest to. But since diet and exercise is more helpful when it’s a year round lifestyle, spring is a good time to check in on goals and progress. Also, the sun is shining more and the air is at least starting to get warmer (on some days), which can provide additional motivation to get out and get moving. It’s also a good time to take a more mindful approach to your diet and exercise. Notice which foods sap your energy and which ones give you energy and consume accordingly. When you do this there’s zero need for a strict diet. Find movement that you truly enjoy and do more of it. If you hate the gym but love to dance trade your gym membership for a dance studio membership.

Reassess Relationships

Not everyone in our lives is meant to be in them forever. Some perhaps never should have been. And some are but need some tender loving care. While reassessing the people in our lives is probably the most difficult form of spring cleaning to do, it may be the most important. Who we surround ourselves with greatly contributes to the quality of our lives. If someone is bringing you down take the time to assess that relationship and decide whether or not it’s worth taking up space in your life. If it isn’t say goodbye. This may mean slowly letting it fade because it already is anyway or officially breaking it off. If the relationship is worth having but still draining, take a deep look at yourself, them, and the relationship to see where you can make changes (because you can’t change them) and then make those changes. Be the person you want to be around.

Overhaul Habits

We all have habits that may not be entirely healthy or want to develop new ones that will contribute to our well being. Take inventory of what’s working and what isn’t working overall and develop a plan for change. Small steps always seem to make the biggest difference since they’re easiest to maintain. Overall some habits that aren’t helpful to anyone are negative self-talk, judging yourself and others, and holding onto regret, resentments, and pain. Replacing these with gratitude, mindfulness, and self-love will send you into summer more than ready to live it up.