Welcome to March! Here in Chicagoland, we are teetering on the edge of spring, not sure what mother nature will throw at us next! Another sunny day in the 60s or a snow storm? We all may grumble and complain, but at our core, we are a strong and resilient community. We have just about made it through winter in the time of Covid…and that is something to be proud of!

Here in the office, just after publishing our blog post from last month about going with the flow, we had to take our own advice and go with the flow first-hand! We had a pipe burst in our office building and water came pouring in through our ceiling!   

While the flood did cause some damage and ruin some supplies, we had to take a deep breath and remind ourselves that hey, carpets are replaceable! 

Most importantly, we were reminded that our business is not one that can be ruined by water damage. Our business is a family of caregivers providing a service to our family of clients. We don’t make or sell a product. Our offering is that magical amalgam of Senior Care, both the physical helping hands and the intangible joy and comfort that our team provides.  

In light of our current events in the office and in our community in general, we want to welcome the beginning of spring with some hope as our days get warmer and our world changes slowly but surely with the covid vaccine. We want to take the lessons that have been pouring into our lives like water from the ceiling…and like we had to do around the office, honor that age old springtime tradition of Spring Cleaning, both literally and figuratively! 

Spring Cleaning: Time to Clear the Clutter in our Physical and Mental Space!

1. Cleaning up and organization around the house.

Many of us tend to dread house cleaning, but for most of us there is no better feeling than when we do finally have that clean and organized house, a much more pleasant place to relax! If you are like me, with the warmer weather and longer days, you may actually feel inspired to roll your sleeves up around the house!

Remember you can always go small! Even little projects can make a world of difference. Starting with simply, say, the kitchen counter, you may find that several things can be put away in the cabinets and poof, with just a few moments of effort you have more space. Little by little you may find you have more ideas and inspiration to organize…and maybe even get rid of a few things.

With our recent flooding experience, we lost some things and needed to move some things around and we were able to do a mini spiff up around the office…and it feels great! Sometimes just imagining the possibilities of moving furniture or placement can get you on track for a little upgrade to your space…and who knows, while you’re at it, you may be inspired to add some fresh flowers or a little plant to your space!

And finally, a little reminder that for you or for the seniors in your life, these kinds of projects are exactly what our caregivers can help you with!

2. Cleaning up and organization inside our minds!

Just like we can free up our physical space to give our minds space, sometimes we can do it the other way around too! Cleaning up our negative thoughts can help us in our real world!

What are the negative thoughts or assumptions that are holding you back? Just like making little changes in our house, we can make little changes to our thinking to open up a world of possibility! Is there some doubt in your mind that is making you assume that something is not possible? Are there some pessimistic thoughts that are weighing you down? 

One tool to combat negative thoughts is meditation, which you can try in a variety of easy ways! There are many ways to meditate but one of the simplest ways to start is by simply finding a quiet moment and focusing on your breath. If you can find a moment for yourself, anytime and anywhere, try taking some deep breaths. Try to focus on only those deep breaths. If a thought comes into your mind can you observe it and let it pass? Can you breathe so deeply you expand your belly? Take note of how your body feels, are there any muscles that are tight that you can relax? 

If you are interested in meditation, there are many resources out there for more techniques and many options for guided meditation. There are a whole host of techniques to combat negative thoughts and think outside the box! So you can find what works for you. For your mental spring cleaning you may want to try to write down some positive affirmations. You may also want to find some things you enjoy to add to your day and to fill your mind up with positive thoughts! What little things could you do to bring joy to your day?