Spring is here! The birds are coming back and the bees are buzzing around the reborn flowers as the world awakes and readies for new growth and refreshing. For many, spring is their favorite season. It seems to bring a sense of opportunity and clear the foggy bleakness of winter. Think of it, in Spring the winds and rains come early to clear the air and wash the earth around us. We could call this nature’s spring cleaning.
In my own home, Spring cleaning has started. The items that have accumulated outside and within my home are being put in judgement by my wife and me. The verdicts of the judgement are:
1. “Do we need this anymore?”
2. “Gotta go!”
3. “I don’t think I can fix it, but I want to give it more time…”
Over the years I feel like I’ve gotten better with the second stack. However, the first and third stacks are difficult to decipher. Many times, if the items in stack one are still useful and warrant keeping, they get to stay.
Stack three is a bit more difficult. Why is that? The various items in that stack may have once been useful, but for whatever reason have been broken, don’t serve the same purpose, or have been replaced with new items that provide better results.
The third stack may be comprised of items that have sentimental value or memories (which makes it harder to dispose of). If we can’t judge to dispose of these items, they may take up space and energy in our environment which can be used to focus on more important things.
Think of how this spring cleaning may have place in our emotional lives. If you were to look over the issues that need to be ‘cleaned out’ of your life, can you identify issues that ‘can’t be fixed but you want to give it more time’?
Are there issues that are difficult to let go of in your mind or heart? Do you think holding onto them longer will produce new results? Do you feel like if you don’t dispose of them that you’ll be able to fix them?
If you’ve identified anything in the third stack in your life, are you ready to move any of them to the “Gotta Go!” stack? If it’s hard for you to let go of yet, consider moving it to the “Do we need this anymore?” stack.
Consider the energy and time you put into keeping these things around for your heart and mind to worry about. Could that energy and space (in your mind and heart) be used elsewhere for things you can do something about? Is it worth the cost of keeping it around and possibly stumbling over again and again?
It’s time for spring cleaning. How nice would it be to clean out the old and make way for new growth and the possibilities? It’s hard work, but the results are so fulfilling!
If you are a senior adult struggling with anxiety, depression or grief and/or are struggling with coping with daily living, Senior Care can offer help and hope.
Contact us at 601-703-4917 for more information or visit rushhealthsystems.org/seniorcare.
