S5 E13: Spring Cleaning: Spirit, Soul + Body

Happy Spring friends!!

With the welcoming of spring i want to invite you to some good old spring cleaning...and I’m not just talking about purging your pantry but I’m inviting you to 

Spring cleaning... spirit, soul and body!

What is it about spring that makes you want to throw open the windows and get moving?!?

I think it’s the sunshine and warmer days that gives us an energy boost. I always say Fall is my favorite until Spring comes around.

I admit I’m not exactly a lover of cleaning but I am a lover of growing so if I’ve got to do a little cleaning to make room for some growth then I’m here for it!

Ok, so I’m pretty sure we all know what Spring cleaning looks like in our homes but what does that look like for the rest of our lives?

How can we declutter our lives… our spirits, our souls, our bodies?!?

To keep it simple and in ways we are familiar with I’m going to stay with this idea of “spring cleaning” as it pertains to our homes 

You ready? Let’s go...

One of the ways we do some spring cleaning in our home can be through purging and decluttering. 

This is where we take time to inventory and sort through “all of the things” 

We get rid of things that are broken and no longer working, we decide to do way with things that use to mean something but no longer add any value to us or our homes. 

I know for me I can put off this decluttering activity because it’s not a quick process. And I’ve more than once started it and had it grag on for what seemed like forever...

here’s a really important thing about this purging and decluttering…

You’ve got to finish the process.

I know I’m not the only person to take the time to do all the sorting and then either move the stack or stacks to the other side of the room or another part of the house or the trunk of the car ..

Which means we still are in possession of it...we are still lugging it around!

I think it was last spring that I shared on the podcast how I was finally letting go of some things that I had sorted through for several years haha I had a big aha moment as I found myself agonizing as I sorted through some of the exact same things I had sorted through for the past several years… I would sort and put in piles only to end up keeping most everything. And I realized I was guilty of doing this exact same thing in my life in other areas.  I kept hanging on to things that no longer fit me anymore or I used to love but hadn’t for a while yet I still struggled with completely letting go of whatever it was. 

Maybe that’s you?? Maybe you need to say a final goodbye to things that no longer fit you...physically or spiritually anymore.

And trust me I feel your pain...it’s hard when that “thing” was at one time your favorite and brought you so much joy.

We have to stay with the process and finish it out.

It doesn’t do any goo to just recognize what activities or relationships don’t need to take up space in your life… we have to finish the process and take the necessary steps to adjust the schedules and create the boundaries.

Another exciting and positive thing about purging and decluttering is sometimes you find and discover once again something that brought you joy in your life.

But somehow in the business of life something had been placed on top of it and it had gotten lost .

Some things go missing and it’s a good thing but sometimes we have lost things that bring life to us and need to once again be found

Those things...dust them off and bring them back out and allow yourself to experience the joy it brings to your life once again.

Okay now to the fun part...Deep cleaning!

After you’ve cleared the surface level stuff ...it’s time for the hard work of a good deep clean.

A deep cleaning in our lives can feel similar to a deep cleaning in the rooms of our physical homes.  

It takes effort. 

It takes commitment to the process. Because how many of you have experience cleaning something only for that to turn into a much longer process than expected as you uncovered and discovered “more mess” as you cleaned deeper.

Oftentimes you find yourself on your knees scrubbing away , your achy and tired and you’re not seeing the progress you’re working towards as quickly as you hoped for.

Stay with it friend.  It might take longer than you hoped or expected but the peace and delight that comes from staying with the process is oh so worth it.

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

The season has changed,

    the bondage of your barren winter has ended,

    and the season of hiding is over and gone.

    The rains have soaked the earth

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and left it bright with blossoming flowers.

    The season for singing and pruning the vines has arrived.

    I hear the cooing of doves in our land,

    filling the air with songs to awaken you

    and guide you forth.

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Can you not discern this new day of destiny

    breaking forth around you?

    The early signs of my purposes and plans

    are bursting forth.

    The budding vines of new life

    are now blooming everywhere.

    The fragrance of their flowers whispers,

    “There is change in the air.”

    Arise, my love, my beautiful companion,

    and run with me to the higher place.

    For now is the time to arise and come away with me.

What is dying to spring up out of you in this season that you need to make room for?

Take the time

Do the work 

Because what will spring forth is beautiful and will be totally worth it.