“The winds of grace are always blowing, but it is you who must raise your sails.”
~Rabindranath Tagore
I love spring. I grew up in the northeast and was continually enthralled with the bounty of life that would begin to appear as the weather started to shift. The first robin, the crocuses pushing their way into the sun – awe-inspiring signs of growth and renewal. Spring is an exciting time where we feel the potential of the unknown ahead of us overflowing with possibility.
I now live in an area that was ravaged by fires last year, and this spring the wildflowers are stunning. Life is so enormously abundant – it can’t help but blossom endlessly.
If we let it.
Since summer arrives in a week or so, it’s not too late to start our inner spring cleaning. Time to dust away the cobwebs and clear the path for life to express itself through us – wondrously fresh, infinitely creative, clear, alive, open. Can we generously give ourselves the gifts of inward exploration and quiet contemplation? Consider the following three essential questions.
Is your life on track?
First, reflect on what you really want your life to be about. What is important to you? What are your values and priorities? What is your heart’s desire?
Now, take a look at your actual life – how you spend your time, what you think about, who you associate with, how you spend money, your overall level of happiness.
Notice any area of your life that is asking for your kind attention?
How are you getting in your own way?
Perhaps, when we are honest with ourselves, we know that we play out habits and compulsions that don’t serve us. What do we get out of perpetuating them? Maybe they keep us safe or protect us from facing an uncomfortable feeling or situation. Maybe shining the light on a stale pattern would bring great change to our lives that we don’t think we are ready for.
Holding on to these hidden places blocks the flow of life. They keep us living in the world of “no,” unable to receive the riches being offered to us in every moment. And examining them invites us to surrender control so we can fully live.
Is it time to get out of your way so you can be available to what life has in store for you? What would that mean for you – letting go of a relationship, a job, a pattern of thinking, an unhealthy behavior?
What old hurts need to be healed?
Living in the past is not really living. Clinging to an old grievance consumes our thoughts and hijacks our potential. If you take things personally, if you have trouble getting started in life, if you think you need to defend yourself because the world is out to get you, consider befriending that painful place inside you. Not doing so is like staying in prison when the key is in your pocket.
When we turn away from our own experience, we continue to be victims of it. We are propelled this way and that by our unexplored stories and the feelings that underlie them. The decision to turn our attention directly into our own experiences of the pain begins the healing.
As we learn to lovingly care for the tender parts of ourselves, the neediness and sorrow dissolve. We realize that what we think we lack has been here all along.
Clean with Care
I know you know this by now: no one is coming to save you. The quality of our lives is up to us alone. We can accept “good enough,” or we can drill down deeper. Take every dust ball, every smudge on the window. Love it, thank it, and walk away. Clean house like there is no tomorrow. Be in harmony with the way things are, and allow life to show you the way.
In what areas does your life need spring cleaning? Do you notice any resistance to looking into the hard places? I’d love to hear…
Robin Easton says
Wow!! This is REALLY good dear Gail. I too grew up in the northeast (western Maine) and so LOVE how you started this post. Just describing the “newness” of spring, like a fresh start, which it is, left me feeling up lifted. I could really FEEL your own personal connection to the very elements of nature that make us feel renewed. I resonate with that.
I also really like the things you chose to talk about, the things that can drag us down if we hang onto them. Reading this really made me think how it is like hanging onto too many possessions, too much unneeded junk. Doing that, whether it is in our homes or in our hearts, prevents us from seeing the truly valuable possessions we do have, or the truly value being that we really are.
I also just LOVE LOVE LOVE this line: “…no one is coming to save you. The quality of our lives is up to us alone.” Wow! That is so true! It just doesn’t get any more honest or real than THAT! When I understood this in my mid to late twenties, it was one of the MAJOR things that changed my life. And more importantly, it set me free.
I really value how compassionate you are in your writing, making change accessible and possible for others, and yet you balance that with raw honesty. You also do it unlike anyone else. It is just SO YOU! In fact, I could easily say it is one of your unique gifts and strengths.
I always feel soothed from being with you here. I go away just feeling like life is possible and somehow more “right”. Bless you for that dear beautiful Gail.
I am sending you MUCH love and a huge hug. You are filled with such a timeless grace.
Robin
.-= Robin Easton´s last blog ..Naked in Eden – Book Trailer =-.
Gail Brenner says
Thank you SO much, Robin. Your comments fill up the well to overflowing!
I love your saying that we can be dragged down by junk in our homes or in our hearts. The inner or outer doesn’t really matter, but what does is the cleaning up. And not just once – but cleaning up as a way of life so nothing sticks. What a blessed life.
I’m so happy for you that you realized in your 20’s that the quality of our lives is up to us alone. I was a late bloomer, but when the blooming started, I couldn’t be stopped! Better late than never!!
Love to you, dear friend,
Gail
Farnoosh says
First of all, Gail, fantastic to see you on Sharing Life Skills among the authors. And second, I love the phrase “Clean with Care” – I think it says it all…..thank you for reminding me to finish my spring (now summer almost) cleaning!!!
Gail Brenner says
Hi Farnoosh,
I’m so happy for Jonathan and his amazing push to bring Sharing Life Skills into being, and for getting us all on board to contribute.
Re clean with care: some people clean like a maniac, but I prefer the gentle approach. Sometimes the layers of dirt have been around a while, and they lie in tender places, so cleaning with care is just what is needed.
Sibyl - alternaview says
Gail: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Great post. I think it is so important to do this spring cleaning and ask ourselves questions that will really help us grow and move forward in life. It is really necessary to just ask yourself if you are on the right track. A similar question that I ask myself that I think is related to this cleaning is “Are you living today better than you did yesterday?” I think when we really explore these questions and find our own answers, we end up moving in the directions we really desire. Thanks again for the pointers in the right direction.
.-= Sibyl – alternaview´s last blog ..10 Life Lessons Everyone Should Know =-.
Gail Brenner says
Hi Sibyl,
Our minds can be very tricky and seductive, so it can be easy to get off track before we know it. I like living in the reminder to check in to see if things feel aligned or off. It’s so much easier to navigate back into the flow if we haven’t gone too far astray.
Thanks for adding your question: Are you living today better than you did yesterday? Another important and useful reminder…
Sibyl - alternaview says
Gail: Thanks for the reply. I really think that is an important point you made about making sure you don’t go too far astray. I think it is so important to be more in touch with our thoughts and emotions and then you can consistently monitor and listen to them so that you don’t veer off to much from your path. Thanks for sharing that insight. I really appreciate it.
.-= Sibyl – alternaview´s last blog ..How to Really Experience the Current Moment =-.
Gail Brenner says
Yes, consistency is the key, Sibyl. Insights and principles are great, but the rubber meets the road when we come to living them – the moment-to-moment existence of making the choice to be free and happy. If we live in perpetual spring cleaning (even though today is the first day of summer!), we are unlikely to veer off too far. It’s important to remember that the point is to live in alignment with what we truly want for ourselves.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment!
Hilary says
Hi Gail .. I’m having to completely spring clean my house and my life – and a good thing it is too .. it’s taking its toll – but the slate will be clear and ready for clear thoughts et al .. So it’s the lot for me .. except I’m taking it one step at a time .. can only do what I can do ..
It will be great if we could sweep summer in too .. it’s chilly here – but the plants this year have been wonderful .. everything lasting much longer ..
Blossoms after fire are amazing aren’t they ..
Have a great cleaning week – Hilary
.-= Hilary´s last blog ..Ever Thought of a Map as an Encyclopedia? =-.
Gail Brenner says
I have been doing some good cleaning myself, Hilary. Anyone who blogs knows that we’re not just writing for other people – what we write starts with us and how we live it in our own lives.
I love that you are taking it one step at a time. You can only do what you can do. We need to do our cleaning wisely, in a rhythm that feels right. There are no “shoulds” about how much cleaning should be done or what the end result would look like. We might even benefit from a huge dose of compassion as the process unfolds.
Armen Shirvanian says
Hi Gail.
Good stuff here. I would answer that question about life being on track as a yes and that the track is continuously slightly adjust but in an appropriate place. The day I’m not on track is the day I would be depressed about not having a mission and direction.
I like spring because all the plants grew and are growing and their leaves come out and the fruit start. I like plants more than most people, especially fruit trees and colorful flowers. Also, I will likely plant some mint in the near future(mostly a self-reminder there).
I actually have done a couple of cleanings. Now I have some empty shelves. It makes for a mind that is more ready to achieve. I have so much energy when I don’t give it away to clutter or something else.
.-= Armen Shirvanian´s last blog ..Each Person Provides Value Differently =-.
Gail Brenner says
Hi Armen,
Spring is amazing – great to hear that you appreciate the beauty of flowers and fruit trees. I just came back from a hike, and the wildflowers were so beautiful. And someone got me an herb garden today! I love eating good organic food that was grown with love – makes such a difference. Wondering what you are going to make with mint…
So glad to hear your life is on track. Continuing to adjust is such an important aspect of living true, as stability seems illusive in the comings and goings of the world.
Great that you mentioned actual clutter in your living space and how it can drain our energy. You said it so perfectly – you don’t want to give it away to clutter or something else. This implies that we are making a choice about whether our energy is put to good use or dispersed unnecessarily. This is a great point for reflection about what we really want, how we want our lives to unfold.
Nea says
Oh my, Gail. What a wonderful article.
I love that you wrote about checking to see if you are on track with your desires for your life. I’ve been reassessing my life lately…doing the Spring cleaning that you mention.
I’ve been going back to read some of the books that jump-started my personal growth journey and taking in little reminders that I haven’t given thought to in a while. It’s clear to me that I am still a work in progress. I suppose we all get off track, but we are all so capable of getting back in alignment with the life we’re here to lead.
.-= Nea´s last blog ..The 5 Love Languages – Your Key to a Healthy Relationship =-.
Gail Brenner says
Hi Nea,
I love hearing how committed you are to cleaning and clearing out! We all get caught at times, or find ourselves off track. Making the space to contemplate these essential questions and to remind ourselves what we really want helps us tremendously to navigate the waters of this precious life.
And going back to readings that have inspired us in the past is a great suggestion. I’d love to know which books you have found helpful.
rob white says
Beautiful article Gail. I am thrilled to be in the Life Skills news letter with you! Indeed, life’s abundance comes in many forms. It is unnatural to feel unworthy of experiencing life’s rich offerings. We have to learn how to do that. This false lesson may be present in our consciousness but it need not be permanent. When we take the time to ‘Clean with care’ we can recover our natural sight.
My biggest spring cleaning is to look at my own progress from a year ago — I find it easy to be harsh on myself for not being further along. On closer inspection I can see the abundance and growth of my relationships and creativity and I can realize I’m right on track.
.-= rob white´s last blog ..What’s Right with You? =-.
Gail Brenner says
So well said, Rob: “It is unnatural to feel unworthy of experiencing life’s rich offerings.” There is something that feels so “right” about being open to reality, not resisting anything. It is natural to feel at ease and expansive rather than small and contracted.
There is so much compassion in your statement that false lessons may be present but don’t need to be permanent. It might seem like there is no possibility of feeling worthy, but, in reality, a shift of our attention and mindset is all it takes. This is certainly a fruitful area for spring cleaning.
So glad to have you as a friend in the blogosphere!
Wilma Ham says
Dear Gail. I m blessed to be in a position to spring clean every morning. Before I get up I talk and check where my thoughts are at. Every morning I have to tweak them to make my day one of co-creation and love.
At night I look back and see what was missing to have me stay on track. It is amazing to see how ‘work’ can make me less at peace, less in the flow, feeling as if everything has to happen to day. It is like cleaning my teeth, I have to clean my mind and polish my heart every day. xox Wilma
.-= Wilma Ham´s last blog ..Wilma on If only the WomenLikeMe way was this easy. =-.
Gail Brenner says
Hi Wilma,
If we take away the “work” then everything is a “labor” of love.
I couldn’t have said it better: “It is like cleaning my teeth, I have to clean my mind and polish my heart every day.” This speaks of such beautiful willingness to stay true. Thanks for sharing this with all of us.
Blessings to you…
Maria says
Hello Gail –
A delightful, delicate piece of writing that has a lesson or two for us all. In a couple of weeks it will be spring here, so maybe I’ll be able to spring clean my thinking whilst spring cleaning my home. MAYBE!
As an absolute newbie to a-listers, I need to be much more on track. Intellectually I know exactly what I have to do. Doing it is another thing. Perhaps I will print your post and have it above my desk as a reminder!
Gail Brenner says
Hi Maria,
Welcome! I’m so glad you came by.
You read this post at the perfect time. As spring comes, you can consider whatever spring cleaning would benefit you. Spring is a wonderful time to clean out the old and prepare for something new. But is it also possible to live in this open, conscious way – in all seasons.
The a-list club is a great resource and support. I wish you all the best on your journey.