Take A Spring Inventory

It’s not spring yet here in the midwest. Another round of snow is expected and everything feels grey. Yet our dog, Jack, loves to smell the air as plants, trees, birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and insects awaken from the winter. Jack stands outside and smells the air with a peaceful, understanding look. He is in no hurry – taking in every particular element in the air. There comes a time in a dogs life when they can appreciate the world instead of chasing after it. As Jack stands and smells the air his breathing changes and he takes in long, slow breaths, appreciating every molecule of scent, his eyes relax and he is totally engaged in the moment. We all know that dogs’ olfactory abilities are incredible – they do not just smell the stew or casserole they smell every individual ingredient. So as Jack is standing and taking in the smells of “almost spring” I imagine that he can smell if a certain robin returned that he remembers from last year, that some of the squirrels foraging around the yard for their hidden treasures are the same ones that he chased last year, and that some of the chipmunks that are coming out of their winter boroughs are the same ones that teased him last fall.

We humans look around outside and simply see that its still cold and grey and we are tired of the winter. Dogs smell the awakening.

I consider this delayed spring to be a bonus time – a little extra time to get our minds focused on spring projects.
What do you do in the spring?
Some people clean house, literally, while some people chart new courses and directions for their lives.

Like the dog smelling the spring air, I take a spring inventory and determine how things are going. We all have plans and periodically need to do a temperature check to see how our plans are progressing. We also need to evaluate if we still embrace the same goals. Things change, we change, and its okay to have our goals change with the seasons of our lives.

In the spring I look around and see what is working and what is holding me back. I throw away dead weight and baggage that has accumulated. Our goals are just like the trees – we need to prune them sometimes in order for them to have room to grow. Our progress can be slowed down by distractions, side interests, and curiosities – like barnacles that collect on a boat, we need to clean the hull regularly to move through the water unfettered.

I enjoy purging in the spring. I take stock of my goals, determine if I am still passionate about my goals, and assess the best path to attain my goals. It’s not spring yet here but I am celebrating goals that I achieved, evaluating goals for this season of my life, and charting the path to accomplish them. I am not afraid to discard goals that are no longer relevant. It is not failure to change goals. To the contrary, it takes courage to change goals and recharge on a new path. I choose to make my goals what I am passionate about and then working to achieve them is joyful.

As spring arrives I dive deep into my head and my heart to do an inventory and assessment of my goals.
It goes sort of like this:
Thoughts become things.
Believe in the power of intentions.
Embrace the power of your thoughts.
The mind is everything.
The power of what you are thinking and focusing on control the outcome.
What are you focused on?
What are your goals?
How can you show up and achieve your goals?

So, have you done a spring inventory?
Are you willing to put your desires out there and make them your goals?
Small things and big things – dare to commit, dare to take action.
Give your goals your energy – be passionate about them.
Honor the power of your thoughts.
Honor the power of your choice.
Know that what you decide will be – you make it happen.
Identify your goals, develop a plan, and focus on achievement.
Get your mojo going.
Change up your physical and mental states to recharge and infuse your momentum.
Realize the power of your thoughts.
Create a life you love.
Results don’t lie – actions produce outcome.
Keep on inspiring.

I love doing a spring inventory.
When I am done I have goals that are joyful.

Take time to breath in, and, like our dogs, appreciate every individual thing around you.
Joy can be found in simple things so uplevel your awareness of joy.
Take the time to discover what brings you joy. Stand and breath in deep and relax and ruminate on what you want your goals to be. Let go of old mindsets and habits and allow yourself to change your goals and do what is joyful to create a life you love.