When you think ofrenewal, your mind likely goes somewhere where butterflies are coming out of cocoons, babies are being born, and people are swimming in fresh ocean waters. Sounds dreamy. Renewal doesn’t have to be this big, extravagant expose in which you’re reborn and become a whole new person. It’s as easy as decluttering your life a little, spending time outside, and doing things that make you happy every day. Check out our suggestions for self-renewal when you’re in a slump, a stalemate, or ready to shake things up a little bit.
Clean out your closet
We tend to keep a lot of things that we don’t need, and the closet seems to be the place where we try to make it all fit. Cleaning out your closet can be a bit of a chore but it feels so refreshing once you’re done. Pick a closet in your house (you could also choose to clean out kitchen or bathroom cupboards) that you feel could use some de-cluttering. As you sort your way through your things, put things in piles, such asdonate, keep, toss,orgive six more months.This will help you keep things organized (and not put things you don’t use or need back into the closet); plus, taking note of what you have or haven’t used in the last six months will help keep you on top of your light hoarding habits, and reduce clutter overall.
Play outside
What is more renewing that spending some time outside?! We’re talking about the good kind of playing outside, not the times when you’re scraping ice off your car windows in freezing weather. Taking time to regularly go outside – be it to garden, walk your dogs, run or cycle – “enhances higher-order thinking, restores attention, and boosts creativity,” according to ourfriends over at Outside Magazine. If you’re not big on the outdoors, try finding a walking buddy, or a new fun activity to try – you could even sit on the patio reading a book! (It’s still outside, so it totally counts).
Take a weekend away
Sometimes the best thing is to just get away and shake up your routine. You may need to cash in all your vacation time at work, or take a weekend and have a staycation. You can even take just one day and enjoyeverything. Take yourself out for coffee and breakfast, go on a long hike, and cuddle up for movies and a glass of wine in the evening. Getting out of your routine and putting yourself in new physical spaces helps to shake things up if you’re in a rut and changes your perspective once you do get back to your regular schedule.
Put yourself first
Are you a people pleaser? A parent? Human being of any kind? It’s so easy to put other people first (and second and third. . .) and forget about what you need for yourself. Do a quick assessment of what you have done for yourself in the last week, and if you’re not tallying up much, it’s time to start putting yourself first. Take time every day to meditate, do some yoga or hit the gym. Set aside half an hour to read before bed, or drink your morning coffee in peace. Do more of what you love.
Revamp your vision board
What once was our dream, may no longer be; it could be that you lived out what was on your vision board. Time to change things up! Pull that old guy out and see what changes you want to make. Is there a trip on there that you already took? A job you were offered or goal you crushed? Add some new desires to your board, or start a whole new one if you feel like it’s time for a fresh start. You can alwayscheck out our guide to creating a vision boardif you’re stuck!
We want to hear about your renewal practices! Share them with us @myinnerfire and/or #myinnerfire.