They say the state of your home/office is a reflection of your mind. I’m a creative, and depending on what I am doing depends on if I need to have stuff around me to work effectively. I’m also the type that will leave stuff out overnight if I’m carrying on the next day. However, where’s the line between the items you have around you reflecting and enhancing or hindering your thoughts and how can you mentally declutter?
Research suggests that we have as many as 60,000 thoughts a day. Many are repetitive, and for many people if focused on the negative, can have a detrimental effect from scarcity mindset: I have nothing to wear, my life would be better if I had more money; to abusive self-thoughts: I’m stupid, I’ll never be good enough.
As a search engine, our brain is full of information, and always searching for more. Not just more info, but proof to back-up the beliefs you have. Social media, the TV, other people, all contribute to our cluttered mind. If you’re overwhelmed with emails you feel you need to respond to immediately, kids that constantly need your attention and cause you to feel guilty, thinking that you’re not good enough all contribute to you might not be able to get work done as you can’t focus and you just feel stuck.
Here’s my fave tips for how to mentally declutter:
1. Challenge your self-doubt
I love affirmations. But, telling yourself you’re wonderful, successful, beautiful, can feel awkward at first. The mind is a search engine and always looking for evidence. Prove it to your brain. When you drop something and say “I’m always clumsy” think of the times you haven’t dropped something. Did you drink your tea/coffee? Didn’t drop it, then.
Taking action takes courage, not confidence. Confidence will follow. So the next time your brain questions your ability to succeed, simply say “challenge accepted“. Be willing to prove yourself wrong and acknowledge that your brain isn’t always right.
2. Ditch the self-pity
Feeling sad or disappointed is healthy. But self-pity is different. It involves magnifying your misfortune and convincing yourself that your problems are worse than anyone else’s. And if you’re not careful, it will keep you stuck there.
Learn to be aware of language that implies you are a victim. Saying “no one understands” or “bad things always happen to me” are red flags you’re filling your head with crap. When you catch yourself thinking that way, take a deep breath and identify one positive action step you’re going to take right away to improve your life. Even if you can’t solve the problem because it’s out of your control, you can choose to do something to make your life or someone else’s life a little bit better.
3. Hand over the worrying
There’s a big difference between worrying and doing. Going over and over the same things won’t get you anywhere, catastrophising, second-guessing, if-only-I’d-done/said-ing yourself won’t get you anywhere. If you can solve the problem, something is in your control such as getting out of debt then take the active steps of cutting back on spending that has no return on investment. If you can’t solve the problem, such as something that has happened in the past or is out of your control, change your mindset.
Try to schedule 15 minutes every day to drive yourself nuts with worry. Write it all down, talk it out loud (even if to yourself). If you find yourself worrying and it’s not the 15 minutes, put it to one side and think or do something else. This will help stop it from taking over your day.
Ditching what holds us back and weighs us down is so important. It opens up new possibilities.
When you mentally declutter you’ll have more time and energy to devote to positive and productive things. Your good habits become much more effective and will help you build the mental strength you need to become the best version of YOU.
Download my free worksheet for re-framing your thoughts.
