Spring Cleaning Your Mind
The weather is getting warmer. The birds’ song is louder. The puffy coats are spending more and more time in the closet. Spring is just around the corner!
And with it comes the urge to do some Spring Cleaning.
But what if instead of cleaning our homes, (or maybe in addition to cleaning our homes), after a long winter… instead we clean out our consumption habits.
I’m talking about what you watch on TV, what books you read, what dominates your social media feed, and who you spend time with.
(I’ll preface this by saying that I am not getting an A+ grade on any of this! So I’ll be joining you in this cleanse!)
What pops up on Continue Watching when you open Netflix or Hulu? Is Bridgerton first on the list? Maybe Dexter or Ozark? If you really think about the content of those shows, what are you feeding your mind with? Especially if you tend to watch it before bed? That’s the last thing in your brain before you fall asleep.
Now, like I said, I’m not perfect. I’ve watched Dexter all the way through twice and Sons of Anarchy three times! I love a good drama. (Though I haven’t jumped on the Bridgerton train because I’m afraid I’ll love it and I know it’s not good for my mind.)
I’m now actively trying to cut back on those types of shows and watch something more wholesome or educational.
Have you ever had a dream about what you watched right before bed? I definitely have! And sometimes it’s really disturbing. I’d much rather fill my mind with sweet, loving things before I fall asleep each night.
Now, I don’t think this means we have to watch Christian TV 100% of the time. There are some fantastic shows out there that are perfectly appropriate. You may just want to turn off the sex-filled shows or murder scenes.
The same idea applies to our books. Right before I was saved as an adult, I finished reading all the Fifty Shades of Gray books. #embarrassing. I honestly didn’t even know what they were about when I first started reading them! I just knew they were popular. So I read the first one on the plane to our honeymoon destination. When I got to the first steamy scene and realized what I was reading in front of everyone on that plane, I was mortified!
I got rid of those books so quickly. I also gave up any Harlequin romance novels that might be laying around the house and traded them for devotionals or lighthearted romance novels.
Your social media is a whole other beast that may take more effort to change. But the best part of all these platforms is that we have a choice of who we follow! If your feed is full of political posts that constantly get you riled up and angry, or fill you with anxiety, it’s time to change it up! Unfollow all those news sites and replace them with something that lights you up, like puppies. Or fun recipes.
If you’re constantly feeling bad about yourself every time you open Instagram because all you see are “perfect” women who seem to have it all together while you feel like a constant hot mess… change it up! Unfollow the “highlight reel only” gals and replace them with more authentic, realistic friends.
And speaking of friends, that may also be an area where you could benefit from some Spring Cleaning.
Do you have a friend who continually makes you feel bad about yourself? Maybe someone who doesn’t prioritize your friendship, so you always feel like you’re doing 90% of the work to keep it going? Time to sweep them aside! (In a loving way, of course.) Bless and release.
Life is too short for that kind of stuff. I’m in my mid-thirties now and I’m very selective with who I choose to spend my time with. I want friends who encourage me, accept me for who I am, would never gossip about me, and will always have my back. And that’s the kind of friend I hope to be too!
I don’t want to give anyone cause to Spring Clean me right off their friend list!
So when you start to feel that cleaning urge in the next few weeks, remember that your home isn’t the only thing that could use some extra attention.
Don’t forget about your mind too. Do a quick inventory of your TV, reading, social media, and friendship habits. Any room for improvement? No better time than now!
