When I was a child, there was one week around this time of year when my mother would bring out a big antique metal bowl. I remember that bowl so well; it was coated with a layer of white porcelain and a single red line was painted on the outer rim. My mother would fill the bowl with warm water and a splash of lemony scented Mr. Clean, and when I saw this sud-filled bowl, I knew what that meant; it was spring cleaning time.

My job was to remove all of the photos, paintings, and adornments hanging on the walls and to wash, from floorboard to ceiling, every wall in the house.

While I was busy taking everything apart and making the place smell like lemon, Mom was emptying drawers and cabinets and purging the things that we no longer needed or used.

This process lasted the better part of a week because we went room by room. Though the task was arduous it provided an opportunity for my mom and I to talk together while we cleaned and to work on a shared goal. We felt so much satisfaction when we were finished and I was glad to finally be able to resume my torrid Super Mario Bros. video gaming schedule.

This is a great time of year to spring clean our lives as well. What thoughts, beliefs, or behaviors are we holding on to that we don’t really need or use anymore? How would it behoove us to purge those things that aren’t serving us anymore? How much better could we show up as the best versions of ourselves if we weren’t carrying around the added weight of fearful thoughts, limiting beliefs, and self destructive behavior?

This week let’s work together on a shared goal of cleaning up the inner recesses of our minds by taking out that big bowl full of energy cleanser (real and honest reflection) and wipe away the things that aren’t serving us anymore. Let’s be as diligent at cleaning up our inner world as we are about tidying up our homes. Let’s create a refuge of peace inside the temples of our minds; so much so, that when we lay our heads on our pillows at night, and close our eyes, we are comforted by the mindset that we’ve created instead of haunted by the fears that lurk in the corners of our dreams.