Well, it’s Spring again!
For some of us, that means blooming flowers, warmer temps, the excitement around school being over, and summer vacations approaching.
For others, it means allergies, trying to overcome feeling bogged down by the weight of winter, and feeling the need to clean house!
Or maybe, it’s some of both!
Spring Cleaning
One tradition that many people talk about and hold dear is Spring Cleaning. It's that time when you spend countless hours going through a garage or unused room in your house to get rid of clutter and excess. You make sure to “deep clean” your house by hitting every baseboard, interior window, shelf, or drawer that has not gotten cleaned during the rest of the year.
And it feels REALLY good. It can feel light, spacious, and freeing.
Since it’s a tangible thing with a tangible result, it can be so satisfying because you can literally see the difference.
What about your mental clutter & mental health?
That’s right. You can do the same thing for your mind! You can create light, freedom, and space right inside of you. And though it takes different steps to get there than cleaning out your garage, you can feel even more rewarding sensations from setting up this practice in your own brain.
Sorting Through the Clutter in Our Minds
Okay, so let’s start with the basics. What kinds of things clutter your mind?
Does that about cover it? But, it’s not those actual things that cause clutter, it’s the anxiety symptoms around them, right? It’s either the lack of or perceived lack of these parts of your life that take up time and energy from your brain and your emotions.
So THAT’s what we have to work on. The anxiety, endless thoughts that play on a loop, and the scenarios we concoct about them.
Clearing Out the Mental Clutter
What if I told you that you could live in a state of freedom, even when some or all of these things in your life are not all figured out? Well, you can. But it takes practice. Daily practice. Plus having an Oregon online therapist wouldn't hurt.
Decluttering your mind, and starting to feel at ease, and in a peaceful state comes from mindfulness. It comes from living as much as possible in the present moment. Being aware of your senses, touching base with your body, and LOTS of reminders (affirmations) about whatever it is that you need to hear to feel free.
A Tool for Your Senses
An exercise you can use to declutter your mind is to take a 5 senses inventory. When you start to feel anxious, overwhelmed or cluttered in your mind, STOP, take a breath all the way down to your belly, and then make a mental list. Identify the following things:
One thing you see right now?
What can you hear?
Can you taste something?
What can you feel on your skin?
What smells are in the air?
This practice breaks up your noisy brain and encourages it to focus on one thing at a time in the present moment.
An Excercise for Grounding with Physical Touch
As far as touching base with your body, a grounding exercise works well.
First, sit in a chair with your spine long. Then close your eyes or lower your gaze and rest your face in a slight smile. Pay attention to your feet touching the floor, your body sitting in the seat, and your hands resting in your lap or on a table. Feel the pressure from your body making contact with the things around it. And then take a deep breath, counting in for 6 and out for 6.
Affirmations for Your Mental Health
And then there are affirmations. At Discover Counseling we have seen many people use things like “I am enough right now”, “I have everything I need already” or even, “I am ok”. These phrases, when used almost as a mantra over and over again, either out loud or in our head, can help change our perspective. They create a new mindset and even if you don’t fully believe them at first, if you use them consistently, you will start to embrace them. And this creates a positive effect!
If you find yourself going into spring cleaning mode around your home, take a few moments to try out some of these mindfulness practices. They can even help you do a better job cleaning house!
Ready to Start Therapy with an Online Therapist in Oregon?
Are you wanting help decluttering your mind this spring so you can fully enjoy your summer? Our online therapists in Oregon can help! At Discover Counseling, we provide online therapy so we can help you no matter where you are located in Oregon or Texas. We can help give you the tools you need to feel mentally light, spacious, and free. To get started follow these steps:
- Contact us to make an appointment at Discover Counseling.
- Start meeting with your online therapist.
- Start feeling the benefits of a decluttered mind!
Other Services At Discover Counseling in Tigard, OR
Anxiety treatment, trauma recovery, life transition therapy, and codependency treatment are just some of the mental health services offered at our Tigard, OR-based therapy practice. As well as premarital therapy, marriage counseling, and therapy for relationship problems. Additionally, we have therapists for teens, Christian counseling, and postpartum depression help. Contact us today to get started.
Ready to take the next step?
We'd love to hear from you. Our therapists serve Tigard and the greater Portland area — in person and online across Oregon.
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