The temperature is rising, the snow is melting, bears (and humans) are coming out of hibernation. Spring has officially sprung!
While many people will take this opportunity to start cleaning their living spaces, I would encourage you to spend some time cleaning out your emotional & psychological space.
How do you do this?
By checking in with yourself to see whether you are happy with your life in the following 3 areas:
1. Work: Are you happy with what you do for a living? Does your job allow you to fully utilize your talent and skill set? Does your employer treat you with respect?
If the answer to one or all of these questions is a no, consider whether a job change might improve the quality of your work life. if a job change is not possible, could you do something within your job to improve satisfaction? Some additional training? Relationship building with your colleagues?
2. Intimate Relationship: Look at your partner. Is the relationship you have, the one you actually want? Are you doing your share to contribute to success of this relationship? Is your partner?
If the answer to one or all of these questions is a no, think about what can be done to change that. Do you or your partner need to change some behaviours? Would couples counselling provide the necessary support?
Or is the relationship beyond repair and it’s time to make a difficult decision about ending it?
3. Other relationships: Look at your relationships with your family and friends. Do you enjoy spending time with them or do you make excuses to avoid them whenever possible?. Do you feel like they respect, support, and encourage you? Do you do the same for them?
If the answer to one or all of these questions is a no, then it might be time to evaluate whether it is time to let go of these relationships. Perhaps you should have some difficult conversations with people about how their behaviour makes you feel? Or maybe you need to develop healthier relationships with people of your choosing.
Though some of what I suggest may seem drastic, the reality is that many people stay in situations well past when that situation (or relationship) is no longer benefiting them and might actually be harming them.
Making a change, isn’t just about ending something. It is about checking in with yourself to see whether your needs are being met and if they are not, to figure out what needs to be done to meet your needs. Because you are worth the work!
Life is short! Don’t let your emotional space become cluttered.
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