Spring Cleaning: Clearing Out Emotional Junk

It’s spring time where I live. Actually, it has been spring for the last two months. Per usual, I’m lagging on beginning my yearly spring cleaning. I usually do a haul of organizing, deep cleaning, donating and throwing away. It’s a very tedious and boring process but I always feel amazing afterward. I don’t want to get into every detail of how I organize and clean because I really just take everything out of my cabinets and drawers and work backward. It is chaos. Complete and utter chaos.

This year, I decided to do a little cleaning of some emotional baggage that I cling to. Lately, I constantly feel myself looking back at certain circumstances and doubting my future because of them. So many of my past decisions are turning up in the present as restless fear.

What is up with that?!

I thought that this year instead of only cleaning out my apartment, I would also get rid of some emotional junk that is really weighing me down. It’s easier said than done but here is how I did some much needed emotional ‘spring cleaning’

Uno: Just Let It All Out.

I reorganized all of my spices earlier this week and instead of doing it in an organized fashion like normal people do, I just took all of the spices out. I sat on my kitchen floor with 30 different glass containers surrounding around me. I quickly inspected each one, deciding if I wanted to keep it or not and then either tossed it or moved back onto my spice rack. Sometimes we just have to pull everything out that’s bothering us and look at it. Don’t over analyze it but just see it for what it really is. Do I really need 2 jars of chili powder? Nope. Do I really need to replay that horrible conversation I had with my boss over and over and over again? Nope. Just look at whatever is bringing you grief and decide if you’re going to let it stop you from living a peaceful and joyful life. Chances are, whatever you’re holding onto is not worth the pain and suffering it is causing you.

Dos: Throw It All Away

I cannot tell you the satisfaction I get when I look at my front door and I have 5 large trash bags full of stuff to throw in my dumpster. I know, letting go is so hard. I’m not saying you have to forget the friend that stabbed you in the back or the coworker who took your sale or the dude who never texted you back. But relinquish the power that it has over your emotions. One of the greatest things that I realized was that some of the difficult things I was holding onto had happened a year ago and some of it even happened years ago. I would replay the situations in my head and think to myself “‘I would never have acted or said that now.” And you know why? Because I am literally not the same person. Of course, I wouldn’t have said or done the things that I did a year ago because I’ve changed. I’ve grown in my ability to handle difficult situations. I’m more mindful of my reactions. That is the beauty of it. We have to throw away that part of ourselves that’s associated with our suffering in order for a better version of ourselves to emerge. So, once you’ve collected some carcasses of emotional trauma….light some sage, say a prayer and let that shit go.

Tres: A Complete Re-Org  

I understand, there are some actions that don’t seem forgivable. There are traumas that are deep rooted in our beings. Sometimes when I start pulling out some of my emotional garbage, I get overwhelmed. I slip into self-loathing. I play the victim. I tell myself that my life is forever&always going to feel a certain way. When I notice this thought pattern, I usually jump right into a meditation. If you’re not a meditator, that’s cool. You can just sit with your thoughts (preferably not listening to any Bon Iver or Coldplay’s album Parachutes) But notice which thoughts arise more frequently. What are you stuck on? Is your mind returning back to one particular situation? Whatever you can’t seem to shake – that’s what truly needs to be worked on. Sometimes the little things we get worked up about are associated with the BIG thing that’s really hooked into us. It’s kind of like those little pieces of white lint that seem to appear on every black article of clothing you own. Once you take a few of the buggers off, they somehow reappear and multiply. So reorganize your thoughts to what truly matters to you and dig deep to find the true source of whatever you’re holding onto. Stop picking at the lint and decided. Take the black jacket off and change your perspective. Decide if you’re going to go to therapy. Decide if you’re finally going to confront the person that hurt you. Decide if you’re going to let it go. Decide. And then do it.

At the end of the day, we are all going through some type of suffering that is hindering our ability to be the best versions of ourselves. Sometimes we don’t even realize that it’s inhibiting our capabilities – which is why it is so important to do an inventory check. Maybe it will take you 2 years to get over something but even the mere fact that you’re aware and working towards moving past it- that is the true accomplishment.

I know this may sound cliche but I heard this saying the other day: “We are dead longer than we are alive”

So don’t take your ill feelings to the grave when you could be rolling around in grace.

Be Well,
Bree