Get Ready for Spring Cleaning

Written by Mary Battista, Prairie Health Companion

Spring has finally arrived, which means time for spring cleaning!  Most of us think of washing the windows, vacuuming the carpets and drapes and other deep cleaning chores we often do when spring arrives, but I’m going to challenge you to think of spring cleaning on a few different levels: 1) Spring cleaning of your physical house, 2) Spring cleaning of your mental house, and 3) Spring cleaning of your emotional house.

Let’s start with spring cleaning your physical house or your body.  Many health and nutrition scientist will tell you that there is no need for crazy cleanses or detoxes for the body because the liver and the kidneys are masterful at filtering out harmful waste products and toxins.  By giving your body healthy food and drinks every day and not just for a 1-week intensive cleanse, you will reap the short and long term benefits of good health.  Adding in lots of fresh unprocessed whole foods such as fruits, veggies (including lots of dark, leafy greens), fish, legumes, nuts/seeds and lots of fresh water, will support healthy function of your liver and your kidneys which in turn will masterfully detoxify your body.  You may notice the lightness of digestion, the increased energy, and the clarity of mind that come from these simple and sustainable steps.

Spring cleaning your mental house means getting rid of unhealthy and destructive patterns of thinking that limit your ability to move ahead.  As the late Wayne W. Dyer so feverently believed, “You’ll see it, when you believe it”.  Spend time each day creating a picture in your mind of what you are trying to achieve, and then meditate on it for a few minutes.  This feeds your mind with positive imagery which will start to manifest in your daily life.  What you spend time thinking about is what you will create in your life.  Crowd out those negative thoughts and destructive thinking patterns and make room for positive ones that will help you achieve all your hopes and dreams.

And finally, spring cleaning your emotional house.  Many of us hold on to negative feelings in our heart towards others and ourselves.  This can be very painful and prevent us from experiencing joy.  But, as the great “Our Father” prayer so many of us say on a daily basis states, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”.  We must not only forgive others, but we must forgive ourselves on a daily basis for our human shortcomings in order to open our hearts to the love and compassion that brings joy into our lives.

So start washing those windows and cleaning those drapes, but don’t forget to clean your physical house, your mental house and your emotional house to reap the benefits of spring’s great promise of renewal!