“You don’t have to control your thoughts, you just have to stop letting them control you.” – Dan Millman

In a world full of errands, obligations, noise and chaos, it is no wonder that sometimes our minds are sent into overdrive and we wind up feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Our mind gets full of clutter and we feel like we are trapped in our own head.

Unable to find the peace that we are seeking.

Have you ever felt that?

There are so many things I have learned on this journey to minimizing and simplifying my life. One of the biggest lessons to date that I have taken to heart is that, just as our drawers and cabinets need decluttering, so too does our mind.

So many times, we solely focus on decluttering our possessions and neglect the issue of mental clutter. 

Mental clutter is when you have so many ideas, thoughts and stresses clogging up your mind that you can’t think clearly. You might start feeling anxious and have a hard time dealing with everyday tasks.

I don’t know about you but if I am not careful, this mental clutter can creep up and it will take some time to come out on the other side. I have to be intentional and pay attention to what is going on in my mind.

When your mind is decluttered, you are able to feel calmer, lighter and stay focused on the things that truly matter. I want to share with you 9 ways you can declutter your mind and find more peace.

1. Write it out.

When you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, grab your journal and write it out. Whatever you are feeling, get it out of your head and onto paper. Making this a daily practice is a really great way of keeping your mind decluttered!

2. Practice gratitude.

Each and every day, take 10 minutes and practice gratitude for the beautiful things in your life. Whether that is first thing in the morning or before bed at night, look around you and pick five things you are grateful for. Even on the worst and most chaotic days, there is always something to be thankful for.

3. Go for a walk.

Get out into nature. Feel the cool breeze on your skin. Listen to the birds chirping and take it all in. When you in this place of your mind feeling cluttered, going for a walk is a perfect way to clear your mind and reset yourself.

4. Learn to say ‘no.’

When your calendar is full and you are running from one place to the next, you aren’t giving yourself the time to relax and rest. You aren’t giving your mind the opportunity to declutter. It is okay to say ‘no’ to things. It is okay to stay home on the weekend instead of running around. It is okay to tell your friends ‘no’ when you have too much on your plate.

5. Set your priorities.

It is up to you to decide what is important to you and what isn’t. Set your priorities and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. Write it down if it makes it easier for you to follow your goals and what you want in life. Set aside time each day to do something, even just one thing, that moves you closer to those goals! Stick to your priorities and you will see that your mind is clear and calm.

6. Reduce social media.

The thing with social media is that it can be a wonderful place to connect with other people and find inspiration but on the other hand, it can be a toxic place where you can feel inadequate and left out. Reducing the amount of time you spend on social media is such a great way to recenter yourself and declutter your mind. This doesn’t mean you should never have social media. It just means that you should be intentional with the time you spend on there.

7. Focus on the present.

Last but not least, focusing on the here and the now helps to keep your mind uncluttered. It is so easy to get wrapped up in what we have going on, especially as a mom, next week or even two months from now. We spend so much time running from activities to school and our other obligations. One way to combat the feeling of overwhelm during this season of your life is to take it day by day. Focus on today and what you are doing right now. Try not to worry about next month until it comes!

Spend as much time on keeping your mind decluttered as you spend on decluttering your home and physical possessions! It is just as important!