By Penny Finnegan, Hypnotherapist and Stress and Anxiety Therapist.
In nature, Spring is a time of fresh new growth and renewal. We see trees blossoming, seedlings sprout from the ground, dormant plants emerge after the colder winter months and animals who have been in hibernation, awake. For me, it is a time of joy and possibility as I watch the natural world burst forth and come to life. Such is the energy of Spring, that I can’t even help but admire the garden weeds that I’ve enjoyed some respite from over the winter months, as they persist in their desire to survive and thrive!
We often associate Spring as a time for decluttering – the good old ‘Spring Clean’ – and an opportunity to deep clean our houses, review what we have stashed away and don’t use anymore and generally tidy up. In the same way that we might do this for the space we live in, Spring is also a great time to take stock of our own lives and reflect on our mental space and general wellbeing; to review what’s working in our lives (and what isn’t) and set about making changes that help us live a life that is more rewarding and fulfilling, depending on what is important to you. This may seem a daunting task if you don’t know where to start, so I’ve outlined some simple steps below to help:
STEP 1 – Identify your 3 new DAILY SUCCESS HABITS (clarify what you want)
Success habits involve identifying behaviours, that when consistently applied over and over again, help us accomplish the things we want (whatever those things are). For example, exercise is a habit that many successful people attribute to helping keep them energised and focused. Ask yourself and then write down:
My 3 new success habits (behaviours) are…
- E.G. I complete a daily, morning exercise routine of 20 minutes.
- ……………………………….
- ……………………………….
Other examples may include: watching less TV (so think of this in terms of ‘If I was watching less TV, what would I be doing more of, that is important to me?); spending more time with my family; spending less time on my phone, etc. The idea is that you’re looking to identify new habits / behaviours that you would like to be doing more of and which would add value to your life.
STEP 2 – Prioritise 3 goals to ‘SPRING CLEAN’ your life (Identify how you will make room for your new habits)
My top 3 goals to ‘spring clean’ my life, are:
- E.G. I will complete a ‘back to fitness’ health check by … (date)………
- I …………………………………… by …………………………….
- I …………………………………… by …………………………….
STEP 3 – List 1 BENEFIT to ME for each of the above 3 goals you listed in Step 2.
The benefits to me of my goals are:
- Goal 1 benefit – E.g. Feel stronger and fitter to improve my health and wellbeing
- Goal 2 benefit – …………………………………….
- Goal 3 benefit – …………………………………….
STEP 4 – Write down what you’re prepared to LET GO of in order to achieve the above.
I will LET GO of… (think about any limiting beliefs you may have, unhelpful habits, people etc.)
E.g. Watching TV late at night so that I go to bed half an hour earlier and get up half an hour earlier to exercise.
STEP 5 – TAKE ACTION – Choose 1 key action for each of your top 3 goals related to your new success habits. Make sure it is specific, achievable and that you set a deadline to hold yourself accountable.
My 3 key actions steps are:
- Goal 1 – E.G. I will call the GP to book a health check by … (date)
- Goal 2 – I will…………………………….. by … (date)……………
- Goal 3 – I will…………………………….. by … (date)……………
If you’d like any support to help you spring clean your life, or help overcoming the barriers that get in the way, then our mind coach and hypnotherapist, Penny, uses evidence based approaches to help people make and sustain positive new changes in their life. Penny can be found at The Thornbury Clinic and you can also book online.