SPRING –RELEASING THE OLD TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW

Spring is a time for release and renewal. Just like trees shed their leaves in the winter to make room for new growth in the spring, now can be an excellent time to take inventory and evaluate what you might want to release to make room for a new, healthier, and more positive YOU. Here are some ideas of things we can think about releasing:

Lousy Lifestyle Habits – we can create bad habits that affect our bodies and health. As we enter this new season, it's an excellent time to evaluate whether you are ready to let go of these habits to make way for a new, healthier you. Some examples include things like smoking, drinking too much alcohol, over-eating, or having a sedentary lifestyle. When we release the habits that affect our physical well-being, we make room for better physical and mental health. We can allow things like drinking in moderation (or stopping altogether), eating more well-balanced or healthier meals, or adding exercise or movement into our lives.

Negative People – there is a quote by Joel Osteen that states, "You cannot expect to live a positive life if you hang with negative people."  Take an inventory of the people in your life, whether they are family, friends, or co-workers. Which ones bring you down, or do you find that you become negative when you are around them? If you have a choice, decide to stop hanging around them, or at a minimum, reduce the time you spend with them. Letting go of negative people allows you to seek people who are positive and who will elevate your spirit when you are around them.

Negative Thoughts – we can get into thought loops with our negative thoughts. These are thoughts that we can focus upon repeatedly, and when we do, they bring us way down. Do you tell yourself things like, "I'm not good enough," "Things never work out for me," or "People don't treat me well."? These are common ones, but take a moment to identify some of your repetitive thought patterns. If you are unsure what yours might be, try to observe your thoughts for one day, and you will catch a lot of them. But don't stop there; when you've identified those negative thought patterns, create a positive mental statement to help build a new thought process that will emotionally build you up.  

Clutter – It's easy to accumulate possessions. We can buy and buy and never purge any of our old items. Take time to go through your closets, garage and even pantry and remove things you no longer use, or wear, or that are past their expiration date. There are a lot of people who could, would and likely can use it, so give it away or donate it. Lightening up your possessions can make you feel significantly clearer and more organized. This process can also allow new things and/or experiences into your life.  

The common factor for these four examples is that as you are willing to take control, release that which no longer serves you and make room for the new - new habits, people, experiences, thoughts… and maybe just a new and happier way of being!  

With Love and Appreciation,

Vicky