Spring cleaning for your life

Spring is the perfect season to open the doors and windows of our homes and do a thorough “spring cleaning.” It is also a great time to “air out” the houses of our body and mind to revitalize our physical and mental health. 

We are creatures of habit and routine. And while some of these are serving us well, like daily exercise; others like our daily double martini, or staying up late, may not. Unless we make a conscious effort to change our ways, we tend to continue in our same patterns. So take a few minutes to be honest with yourself about how your habits are serving you. 

The heavy, fatty, dense foods that our bodies crave during the winter may have taken a toll on our bodies by springtime, and we are ready for some cleansing.  Our internal organs (liver and pancreas in particular) have to work hard to produce the enzymes needed to digest and absorb our food. 

 Do you often feel bloated, or gassy, or constipated (less than 1 bowel movement each day)? These are some of the signs that your body may not be digesting your food properly. How often do you give your body a break by lightening its load and eating meals consisting mostly of fruits and vegetables? 

By giving these organs a break for a few days, we can bring our systems back into balance and allow them to function optimally once again.
Our minds may also be ready for spring cleaning. Negative emotions, such as: anger, jealousy, revenge, bitterness, and holding grudges can be toxic. Taking responsibility for our feelings is liberating. However, It is 100 times more common to blame others for our emotions. She “made me” angry or whatever emotion one is feeling. 

 It is disempowering and dishonest to claim that somebody else has “made” or forced us to feel certain emotions. If we are feeling angry, resentful, or irritated, it is undeniably harming our health.  Stress hormones are released, our blood pressure rises, and every cell in our body is affected.  These feelings become a very physical problem for the individual, not whoever “caused” them. 

While there are certainly situations that can be stressful or people with whom it is difficult to deal, we still have choices. 
We can either give them our power and emotions, or we can stay centered and know that the issues outside of us do not have to disturb our inner peace.  If we find that we are in situations where we are constantly being upset and cannot maintain a sense of calm, then perhaps it is time to change the situation. 

Who we are really hurting when we’re holding on to these negative feelings is ourselves. By taking responsibility for our reactions, we are empowered to change these emotions.  In this season of fresh starts and rebirth, perhaps it is time to change both our attitudes and habits.