Spring Cleaning// Allow Yourself to Begin Anew
It’s almost Spring.
When the birds start chirping and the layers of the winter shed from the earth and your body. You feel the sun on your skin. You feel free.
Then you feel guilty.
Not everyone experiences this with Spring, but pleasure can precede guilt in a growing culture of monetizing your hobbies. Maybe you haven’t stuck to your 2019 resolutions so far and you feel ashamed of that. There are likely plenty of things you have not done yet. As have I.
I am here to remind you that time is an illusion. You can begin anew any day, any time. This post is a symbolic hand on your shoulder, telling you “you’re okay,” because you are. You are already successful. What does that feel like energetically? How does that feel in your bones, in your hands?
I am here to remind you to try again. Not out of shame or guilt but out of an undying loyalty to living and loving it, while you’re at it.
- If you’ve set an umbrella-like goal such as “write a book,” can you break that down into much smaller goals to reach that bigger goal? Instead of “write a book,” you could say “write a paragraph every Friday.” Whatever is realistic for you but also ensures you’re actively pursuing that larger goal.
- If you’ve set a goal and have changed your mind about it, then you’re allowed to change your mind. Take some time to reflect on who you want to be and how your habits can reflect that idea.
- Does this list reflect actively working on your goals? If not, how and where can you shift your time and energy? Even if you only have 10 minutes, those 10 minutes add up over time, if done consistently.
- Allow yourself to try. Everyone starts somewhere. So, start somewhere. Change the way you frame it. Instead of saying “I haven’t done x so far in 2019,” say “I’m starting x today.”
- If something sings in your heart, it is always worth trying again.
- The layers of shame and guilt are there, but emotions are fleeting. They will come and go. What is underneath the shame and guilt? Take a look, be curious about what is there. You may be surprised by what you find.
If you take anything from this post, take the word “allow.” Allow feels inviting, without any walls up, but also has forward movement within it. Allow joy, allow reflection, allow yourself to unapologetically begin anew.