Ah, you’ve just arrived home after an exhausting day at work. You throw off your coat and slump down onto the couch. To your left is a crumpled blanket, a pet hair-covered accent pillow, and a single loose sock. To your right is a half-eaten bowl of cereal, a jar of opened peanut butter, and a glass of stale water. You let out a disappointed sigh and turn on HGTV. You’re thinking, “If my house isn’t clean, I’ll at least live through them, right?” And after a few episodes, you muster the strength to tidy the messes you didn’t even make. 

When your work is complete, you scan your eyes in satisfied approval. You feel lighter, more at peace, and like you’ve gained back your house, though you know it will clutter by tomorrow’s end. 

If cleaning our house can lift our spirits, how much more can we accomplish when we declutter our thoughts? 

Our minds are full of static shouted from the media and voices we consume. Whether it be the endless scrolling of shorts, socials, or even listening to that cranky customer at the grocery store, we unintentionally internalize. Unknowingly, we hold on to these voices and the opinions they place upon us: That we’re not good enough, quiet enough, loud enough. That the world is ending or just beginning, and you’re constantly falling behind. We hoard the negative comments made by the cranky customer and dwell on the frustrations they bring us. Then, we regurgitate them in a spout of thought vomit and contribute to the messiness in the world. 

It’s time we take control of our cluttered minds.

Make your mind a sanctuary. A place where ideas undergo vigorous trials to attain feeding. A place where standards are high. By evaluating the thoughts on which you meditate you’ll find your mind less blurry and the futile opinions few and far between. 

A clear mind sounds blissful, no? But how can we actually implement this seemingly far-off mind state?

Practical ways to start cleaning:

• Take media breaks; make Sundays screen-free, set downtime on your phone, or pause your time on a specific social you’re finding loud. (Like Facebook during election time)

• Be present when you’re consuming; acknowledge if you’re internalizing and how it makes you feel.

• Hold on to your tongue until you find the clarity and brevity to say what you mean in a way beneficial to others.

• Wave to your worries; write them out, speak to a friend, make a to-do list, pray, and then send it on its way, wave it goodbye, and know it is always there for you if you need to come back. 

• Ask someone about the state of their mind and whether or not it’s cluttered: This can bring a different perspective to your own thoughts and what you, too, may be gripping tight that needs to find the dumpster and stay there. 

I get it -living life with a cluttered mind can be comfortable. Knowing what people have said about you and having a record to reference feels safe. But trust me, hope is easier to hear when there’s less to listen through, and joy can shine brighter when the bricks break. 

I hope you’ll join me in my Christmas cleaning.