Spring Cleaning
Spring Cleaning
“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”
"Podrán cortar todas las flores, pero no podrán detener la primavera"
Pablo Neruda
Welcome Spring! We see you with your sunshine, super blooms, and allergies galore! With Spring comes a sense of renewal and new opportunities to reflect on the year still ahead of us. What are some aspects of your life that need the good ol’ fashion spring cleaning? Here are a few questions to ask yourself to kick start your self-reflection take a deeper look at what you might be wanting and needing:
1. What are some things occupying space in your mind and heart? As with most physical belongings, we tend to hold onto and carry our emotional belongings and “baggage.” It once served a purpose but may no longer be a necessary or helpful part of our lives. Some of these may be what we tell ourselves about our worth, the expectations others have of us, or even the old habits we hold onto because it just feels comfortable right now. Examining what is no longer serving you can help create a sense of renewal and new beginnings!
2. What is an area of my life I can take a risk or lean into discomfort in order to grow? As with most change, taking steps to choose a new path can be uncomfortable or feel daunting. You don’t have to fall completely into something new and challenging. Instead, try leaning into it for a bit. Trust the process and know to tread into new territory will feel foreign at first but with time comes adaptation and growth!
3. What are my top three values and how am I living them out? List out three values that mean the most to you now. Do you value family, integrity, truth, creativity? What makes the three you’ve chosen important to you now and how do you live your these values day-to-day? Our values are where we often find our motivation and can help to increase happiness and overall satisfaction around the things we care most about.
4. What is one thing I can do today to get me closer to my ideal life? If you went to sleep and woke up in the morning living fully in your ideal world and ideal life, what would be different? Identify one thing you can do today to take a step closer to that. Setting healthy boundaries, taking steps to improve your health and wellness, or even something as simple as taking a break. One small act can set in motion the change you might be seeking.
A Letter From Natalie
I’m a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at Gather and Grow OC. I have spent the last four years developing as a therapist to support others’ in their journey of healing. I was drawn to therapy by my sense of curiosity and interest in understanding relationships and what brings people together.
My training began at Cal State Fullerton where there is an emphasis on using a person-centered approach and belief in an individual's resiliency and ability to learn and grow from their experience. Since completing my studies, I have been working with underserved communities and providing therapy in both English and Spanish to help bring families together to repair relationships and reduce the stigma of mental health treatment in the Latinx community.
In this next chapter of my practice, I am excited to offer Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to support the community in healing trauma. I enjoy incorporating mindfulness in my practice as well as in my own life. It is of utmost importance to me to have balance and practice what I preach, which is why I believe self-care is incredibly important. I look forward to supporting you in finding what self-care and self-love mean for you!
