In our preparations for Passover, in addition to the shopping, recipe hunting, and food prep, we often do a very thorough spring cleaning. It is a perfect time to clean out closets that have been getting out of control, giving away clothing that no longer fits or has seen better days, and generally using it as an excuse to get things organized. It is the perfect time to actually force yourself to complete that dismal New Year’s resolution and empty out all the useless things you have been hoarding in your closet. Start with the pair of jeans you have been persuading yourself that you will fit into in just one more month. Consider donating one of the myriads of pairs of shoes cluttering the floor. Lord knows you only switch off between two pairs any way. Dig around your cubbies and find that threadbare shirt from college that somehow made the cut from all previous Pesach exterminations. Keep going and Wallah! You now have three garbage bags stuffed with clutter that you won’t miss at all. In all seriousness, organizing your home is a good way to provide a tune-up of your surroundings which can help provide a feeling of calm and serenity. Personally, when I organize a closet that was in dire need, I feel so clean and accomplished afterward. This year I especially felt like my home and organizational skills got away from me a little bit. Last Sunday I woke up with an energy boost and set off on a mission cleaning and reorganizing. It was actually much faster and easier than I anticipated, and it quickly became contagious with my family joining me in reorganizing.
When our surroundings are organized, it is a simple and valuable way to embody calmness. A chaotic environment can lead to a disarray of emotions and make us feel anxious and scattered. This can have an impact on children as well. A young child sitting down to do homework in a set place, where their computer, notebooks, pens and pencils are all set up will allow them to get right into the task at hand. The same for an adult. At the beginning of Covid when people were working from make-shift home offices, they felt disorganized and felt tremendous anxiety. They had difficulty focusing on the task at hand and were physically uncomfortable, leading to anxiety and back pain. As time passed, and we all began to realize the situation was not changing anytime soon, many made adjustments and set up a proper office. Having a proper organized specific location to accomplish work is already a step in the right direction. Both children and adults having an efficient set place to work, avoids wasting time getting organized. Instead, it allows you to sit down and get right to it, and who doesn’t find comfort in a padded leather chair with lumbar support any way.
Our body and mind work in mysterious ways. Organization and focus lead to more organization and focus. Likewise, disorganization and chaos unfortunately breed more disorganization and chaos. When we perceive sheer chaos and disorder physically around us, the mind is easily and insidiously affected by it. Our persona embodies what we see thereby tarnishing our psychology. Luckily for us, the converse is true as well. When there is pristine order around us, our minds work at optimal levels of efficiency. It is essential during these challenging times that we stay on track as much as we possibly can. Sometimes we need a tune-up. Just as you take your car in for an oil change periodically, just as we use Passover for encouragement to do our spring cleaning, so too do we need to turn our focus within ourselves. Now is a wonderful time for this transition as the seasons begin to change, and the cold winter is almost behind us. We are looking forward to spring and spending more time outdoors. We are looking forward to the season of growth and flowering which brings immense joy. It is good to use this time to reflect at how we can nurture our own personal growth both physically and mentally and fully embody this joy.
With so much going on around us, we seem to be last on our list of priorities. However, self-care is essential. We often forget this and rarely do we put ourselves first. Much like a vehicle that has exceeded its mileage, and needs a tune-up, our bodies work the same way. When stretched to our limits with an overwhelming amount of work, or with an enormous amount of stress, it is important we find ways to rejuvenate, and revitalize. Utilizing exercise is a wonderful way to inhibit stress and anxiety, as well as boost your overall health. Releasing endorphins through exercise is a simple way we can ensure our bodies are working optimally. Brisk walks and breathing in fresh air can help alleviate stress in an easy wonderful way.
Acupuncture should be an essential tool in your arsenal when it comes to supporting your physical and mental well-being. In addition to healing many health concerns, Acupuncture is especially incredible for stress relief, immune support, pain relief, and overall wellness. Instead of waiting for the car to break down, or for you to be stretched to your limit, how much better to be preemptive and incorporate Acupuncture and Holistic healing into your routine. By moving Qi or vital energy, and blood throughout the body, Acupuncture allows us to relieve the stagnation that causes pain thereby getting to the root of what is causing the symptoms or illness in the first place. On MRIs of the brain and via blood work it has been proven that neuroceptors in the brain are modified after Acupuncture. Acupuncture effectively enables us to find complete stress relief and relaxation, relieve pain, and strengthen our immune system.
As we welcome Passover into our homes, and embrace the season’s changing, so too is it apt to embrace and welcome wellness. Incorporate Acupuncture and Holistic Healing. Minimize stress as much as possible. Be preemptive in your healing and make self-care a top priority. Don’t wait for your body to break down. Schedule your tune-up now!