This article was originally published on PhiladelphiaMFT.com. Be sure to check out their site for professional relationship and sex advice.
Although this winter weather is making us feel differently, spring is right around the corner! With that being said, now is the time to get a head start on your spring cleaning. Now I don’t just mean changing over your winter closet to your spring closet but doing an overall haul on your life, work and relationships. Here are three ways to get a head start on ways to spring clean your life:
1. Reassess your Goals
March marks the beginning of the end of the first quarter of the year. Now is a great time to check on those New Year’s resolutions or other goals that you set up for yourself and see if you’ve made any progress. If so, treat yourself for your dedication and see how you can continue to build on that momentum that was developed. If you haven’t made progress begin to ask yourself why you haven’t and create a plan on what you can do differently to start living the life you want.
2. Evaluate your Relationships
As the saying goes: “Out with the old and in with the new.” This can be applied to all of the relationships in your life; friends, family, professional and romantic. Evaluate and see what you like or dislike about them. Relationally are things going well? Or are you struggling to make things work? Are you getting the best out of your network? Whatever the case may be, look at what old patterns of functioning are taking place in them and throw out the behaviors that are a hindrance to the progress of your relationships. Sometimes a simple change in functioning can positively change your relationships.
3. Reprioritize and take action
You can really make strides in spring by reprioritizing your goals and relationships. If you feel as if you’ve made progress in some areas by creating healthy habits and maintaining consistency, now may be the time to change your priorities and focus on doing the same in different areas of your life. Changing your priorities keeps you from leaving no stone unturned in your life; constantly assessing and focusing on what you can improve on.
Now is the time to build consistency and challenge yourself where you lack so that you can reap the benefits of your efforts when the weather breaks.
Alanna Gardner, MFT is a sex and family therapist practicing in Philadelphia. She is also a main contributor to TheUrbanRealist. For more advice and encouragement from Alanna follow her here.
