“Clutter is stuck energy. The word “clutter” derives from the Middle English word “clotter,” which means to coagulate – and that’s about as stuck as you can get.”  –Karen Kingston

A Symptom and a Cause

Clutter is both a symptom and a cause.  Clutter is a symptom, resulting from decisions put off, actions not taken and procrastination.  It is often based on fear and a belief in lack.  It is also a cause.  Clutter results in increased sickness, stress and spending. It robs us of vitality, peace and joy.

Spring is a reminder of new life and vitality.  It is the perfect time to do a clean our mind, body, home and business.  Here are some strategies for refreshing you business and life:

Work from the Inside Out: Clear Your Spirit and Mind 

• Make a List.  Martha Stewart, John Lennon, Ben Franklin, Ronald Reagan, and Leonardo da Vinci were list-makers. Lists free your mind and give you a place to organize your ideas and tasks. After you create your list give each item a category  e.g. “action”, “delegate”, or “discard”.  Then create a strategy for implementation. Decide who will do what by when.  Schedule and assign each item a completion time and responsible party.
• Meditate. Studies show meditating for even 5-10 minutes a day lowers blood pressure, improves the immune system, and increases happiness. Keep it simple! Sit in a comfortable position and become aware of your breathing. Clear your mind. Try techniques like breathing, visualization, or guided mediation. There are many meditation programs available online. Experiment to find what works best for you.
• Journal. Having the daily practice of writing a few pages in a journal each day reduces stress, boosts creativity and increases mindfulness.  Great leaders have kept a journal for problem-solving, inventing or tap into  higher consciousness. In the book The Artists Way Julia Cameron uses “daily pages” as a tool for getting unstuck and releasing your inner artist.  Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch inspired me to Use a journal as a method of prayer. I ask God a question and then write what comes to me. It is amazing the depth of insights I have gotten since practicing this!
  

  Spring Clean Your Body

  • Detox.  Spring is the perfect time to do a detox.  Eat a clean diet for 3-4 weeks. Cut out coffee, processed sugar and flour, fast food, preservatives, dairy, red meat and pork.  Drink LOTS of water!  You can also use a gentle cleansing product such as EnerPrime to further detox and support your liver.
  • Juice.  Juicing is a great way to cleanse your system and get vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phyto-nutrients.  To keep the fiber try using a blender or vita-mix.  I start with a cup of coconut or almond milk then I add a cup of dark greens including chard, spinach and kale.  I also add a whole apple, beet, and cucumber.  I then add frozen berries for more nutrition and flavor.
  • Hot Yoga.  The heated rooms (especially those that use far infra red) add even more benefits to the health promoting practice of yoga including increased flexibility and cardio.  Hot yoga is a great way to stretch, detoxify, relieve stress, tone, and heal.  I noticed my skin was always radiant after hot yoga.  I achieved my greatest tone and flexibility using yoga.

  What ever method you choose, Spring is a wonderful time to cleanse, refresh and revitalize.  What is your favorite tip for spring cleaning? Share in the comments below.

  Next week we will look at simple tips for spring cleaning your business.