For generations people used to 'spring clean' their houses, spring a time of newness and renewal brought the need to get things cleaned up after the darkness of winter.
Now I… think a mental clean-up is much more important than a house clean but I rarely hear someone say 'I'm going to do a mental spring clean'. What are you carrying around with you that you really don't need?
Lots of times we hang onto behaviours and thoughts from our past that worked for us then but are way out of date. It's like the back of your refrigerator when you finally decide to look and I know you know what I mean!
First you clean out so that there's room of all the new experiences you are going to have (and I hope one of those will be Mental Health First Aid). Become aware of the thoughts and behaviours you have that are no longer serving the best of you and plan a way to let them go, here are a few suggestions: write them down and then burn the paper, go to the beach or a forest and yell them out of you, write on a china plate and then smash it (very satisfying), go to a place in nature and shake them all away.
Always let things go with gratitude not anger.
Now it's time to rearrange the furniture and ask yourself what is really important to you, at this time. What will you concentrate on, what new things will you bring to your life?
Do this with your children its great resilience support for them.
Remember Mental Health is everyone's business.
