With spring just around the corner, it is a great time to start preparing for the change in seasons. Many people associate this time of year with physically cleaning their living space. They may do this by throwing out things they no longer use, decluttering, and getting their home more organized. This is an excellent thing to do for your mental health because having everything in its place can reduce stress.

But spring cleaning can also go beyond just physical cleaning. You can apply spring cleaning to your mental health by identifying and addressing your negative habits and behaviors. In addition, you may also consider applying spring cleaning to your personal life by letting go of toxic relationships that no longer serve you.

Spring Cleaning Your Living Environment

You may have heard the phrase, “an organized home is an organized mind.” However, you might not have ever thought about how true it can really be. We’ve all experienced something similar to this at one point or another: You’re running late and can’t find something you need to bring with you, like your keys or cell phone. When your living space is in disarray, it can become hard to find these things. This just makes the search for things you need all the more difficult.

When your house is clean and well-organized, you are more likely to feel calm and at peace. But when things are messy, your head space can feel the same way. Having a well-organized home can even help you stay firm on your path of recovery.

It can be hard to know where to start if you’ve really fallen behind on your housework. Instead, it can be easier to break it down and focus on just one room or even part of a room at a time. This can make things seem less overwhelming and more achievable. Plus, the progress that you make along the way can help motivate you to continue.

Spring Cleaning and Your Habits

When you’re in recovery, one of the most important things that you can do on a regular basis is to take a pause and reflect upon your habits. Which habits are serving you well, and which ones could be affecting your overall health, success, and well-being in a negative way? This could be as simple as procrastinating on projects for work or school, spending too much time watching television, or indulging in eating too much junk food.

Perhaps these habits could be more serious. Maybe they are things that are potentially endangering your recovery journey. They might include spending time with people or in places where your sobriety is being placed at risk. Or maybe you’ve been making it a habit to skip your support group meetings or therapy sessions to do different things. Now is the time to recognize the problem at hand and take the necessary steps to fix it before it gets worse.

Spring Cleaning and Your Thought Patterns

It is easy to get stuck in the habit of negative thought patterns without even trying to. The key is learning to identify these thought patterns and learning to change them. A lot of people experience negative thought patterns connected to social media. Maybe they continuously compare themselves to others and end up closing out of their social media feeling in a worse mood than they were to begin with.

Other negative thought patterns may revolve around self-pity. This is a particularly important issue to get past while in recovery from substance misuse. Some people struggling with substance misuse tend to blame others for their condition or struggle with a low sense of self-esteem. It is possible to get past these things by working on being more aware of your thoughts and stopping them before they spiral out of control.

Spring Cleaning and Your Relationships

This is a good time of year to take a closer look at the different kinds of relationships you have in your life. Consider which ones are healthy and serve you well. Consider also which ones may be toxic and in need of being worked on or even removed. This could be a relationship you have with a friend, significant other, coworker, or even a family member.

For example, maybe there is someone in your life who continuously pushes your boundaries or intentionally threatens your recovery on a regular basis. Now would be the time to discuss your feelings about this matter and make it clear that you’re not going to continue to tolerate this disrespect. If they still continue with this behavior, it may be time to distance yourself from this person or end the friendship entirely. While it may seem harsh, and losing a friend is always a painful experience, maintaining your sobriety should be your top priority. If this person was truly a friend, they wouldn’t try to manipulate you in such a way.

Spring is fast approaching and with the change of seasons, it is a great opportunity to consider what changes you would like to make in your life. Maybe the change that you want to make is by seeking treatment for a drug or alcohol use disorder. This is a very positive change to make and it can truly transform your entire life. If you’re struggling with substance misuse, our team at The Kimberly Center can help. Don’t put off taking this step any longer. Give us a call at (855) 452-3683 today and a member of our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our services.