It's time for a spring clean!
This year, more than ever, I feel aware of the changing season from winter into spring. This last winter was a time of slowing down and looking inwards – it is a natural phase, and I welcome the different energies that the seasons bring. Now we are in spring I am beginning to feel the freedom and sense of awakening that comes with it, and in life more generally as pandemic restrictions are lifted. As in nature, for us it is a time for nurturing and growth as we emerge and align ourselves with the season. It is an opportunity for a spring clean of our lives, for new beginnings, and endings of what we don’t need. A time to allow ourselves to emerge.
To get going on the spring clean, here is a question you can use for reflection and journaling. Just hold it lightly over the next few weeks:
What does a spring clean of your life mean for me? (Hint, it doesn’t have to mean tip your life upside down, it could be a refresh or affirmation of how you are now. It’s the thought that counts)
How to use this coaching companion -
You can use this Coaching Companion as a stimulus for reflection and fresh thinking about what it means to develop and sustain harmonious relationships in your life – at work and elsewhere.
You can print it out and use the space for your notes or write your responses in a separate notebook – your choice.
I suggest that you spend a bit of time on it each week, starting with the journaling questions, and working through it at your own pace. A review and reflection session at the end of each week can help you consider the learning, and how you can apply it going forward.
Awakening – an Invitation to step into silence
We can see emergence as an awakening, a gradual awareness that life is changing. Sometimes this is planned, at others it is organic. Whatever the stimulus, and wherever you are in the process, it is worth taking a pause, to look around and be present for a while before taking next steps on whatever adventure our future holds. I invite you to find a quiet space and listen to this short 2-minute meditation* and then spend a few more moments in silence and contemplation.
Silence Meditation
Some questions for reflection:
What did you notice about yourself as you sat in silence?
What did you feel in your body?
What thoughts arose?
What emotions were you aware of?
How do you feel now?
What new insights, if any, came to you?
*This meditation is from Insight Timer, a free source of every kind of meditation you can imagine.
Personal Growth
We associate new growth and green shoots with the emergence of spring. It is also a great time to review our own personal growth and think about what we need in this new season. Consider the aspects of personal growth here. We can nurture and encourage all of these to flourish as we continue to emerge into our true potential. Where do you need to put your focus just now? What can you do to encourage growth?
Of course, these areas are all connected and effort in one area will bring benefits to others. Here are some ideas to think about to get you going – add your own!
For spiritual growth
meditation, journaling, practicing your faith, mindful walking, being in nature
For physical growth
healthy nutrition, exercise at any level, attention to health needs
For social growth
connect with friends and family, face to face if possible, be a good friend, support your colleagues, join new activities and meet more people
For emotional growth
be kind to you and others, get enough sleep, use a stress ball, find small good things every day
For mental growth
learn something new, try a new recipe, do the crossword / sudoku / wordle, take up a new hobby, read a book
Make a note of what you can do to grow and thrive.
Endings follow beginnings..
A fairly recent insight for me has been that when changes bring new things into my life, I need to let go of others. These could be activities that I have moved away from, or do not have the capacity to continue, routines that no longer serve me, negative relationships, or just unhelpful thoughts. There is something very powerful about actually articulating these endings rather than just allowing drift and absence to take hold. It is a bit like weeding the garden, it needs to be done to allow the plants we have chosen to grow and thrive.
I invite you to listen to this poem I am reading by David Whyte. Find somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed for 20 minutes, listen to the poem, and take time to journal your responses – just write what emerges to include how you feel emotional and physically, and any new thoughts about endings. Reflect on promises you need to break – to yourself, to individuals, to organisations. Consider what these could look like and how you can ‘have faith. Walk away’ as in the poem.
My thoughts after listening to the poem
What action can I take to make the endings I need? When will I do this?
Useful resources to pursue this theme:
If you like David Whyte’s poem, you can find this, and others online:
My favourite poet is Mary Oliver. Hear a reading of her poem Spring here:
A short cartoon video (9mins) on how to give things up to become successful.
More prompts on spring cleaning your life.
For a completely different take on emergence in the natural world, listen to this sonic journey
I hope you have enjoyed this Coaching Companion and gained some useful insights and ideas. I would love to know what you think – drop me a line and let me know.
Feel free to share this with other people you think would benefit from this bite-size Coaching Companion, and encourage them to sign up to get these directly every time through my website where you will also find my other Coaching Companions.
Here is a pdf version of this Coaching Companion if you would like to download it: