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April 17, 2025 14 mins

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Ready for a fresh perspective? Forget about scrubbing floors and organizing closets—this episode explores the powerful practice of mental spring cleaning. Just as our windows collect dust, our mindset accumulates negative thinking patterns that color how we see everything in our lives.

Through my work with hundreds of clients, I've witnessed how mental clutter disrupts productivity, decision-making, and overall wellbeing. Especially for entrepreneurs and business owners, we can become so fixated on strategy that we neglect our inner game—the thoughts and beliefs that actually drive our success.

I share my proven three-step process for refreshing your mindset: first, emptying your thoughts through mindful journaling; second, organizing those thoughts into meaningful categories while identifying what you can and cannot control; and finally, intentionally choosing where to focus your attention moving forward. This isn't just about feeling better momentarily—it's about regaining your position in the driver's seat of your life.

My clients consistently report that this daily practice transforms how they show up for their teams and families, brings clarity to decision-making, and helps them move through challenges with greater ease. If your mind is telling you that you don't have time for this, that's precisely when you need it most! Try this practice just once a week and watch how it shifts your energy, relationships, and leadership presence. After all, your mindset is with you 24/7—let's do everything we can to make it shine.

Learn more about Carla:
Website: https:/www.carlareeves.com/
Connect on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reevescarla/
Connect on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@differentlythepodcast

Go to https://carlareeves.com/freeclass to get The Class schedule, sign up, and/or pass it on to a friend. Each month is a new topic. Come hang out and learn with us for FREE!

Get your copy of 5 Ways to Manage Your Mind

Go to https://www.carlareeves.com/getunstuck.com to download Carla's on demand journaling workshop + exercise to help you stop spinning and start moving forward.

Explore Coaching with Carla: https://bookme.name/carlareeves/lite/explore-coaching

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Carla Reeves, and this is Differently.
Whether you feel stuck insurvival, navigating a change,
or seeking more for your life,may this podcast be your weekly
nudge to take a risk to build alife that is uniquely bold,
authentic and in alignment withyour deepest values.
What if you worried less aboutthe bumps in the road and

(00:23):
instead got equipped for thejourney?
Get ready to rethink what'spossible.
Welcome to another episode ofDifferently.
Today we're talking.
Today, we're taking a differentspin on spring cleaning.
Instead of focusing on cleaningout our closets or scrubbing

(00:44):
our floors.
Spring cleaning Instead offocusing on cleaning out our
closets or scrubbing our floors,we're talking about cleaning up
our mental landscape.
Yep, spring cleaning.
For our state of mind, it's athing.
Honestly, it's the best kind ofspring cleaning.
Spring cleaning can go beyondour physical spaces and be
applied to our mindset.
Remember, our frame of mind isshading the color of how we see

(01:05):
everything else in our lives.
Think of it like a pair ofglasses.
Over time, and even over thecourse of a day, that pair of
glasses can get smudged with allkinds of negative thinking,
especially if things are notworking out as we had planned.
Today, I'm going to share threeways I like to think about
spring cleaning for your frameof mind.

(01:26):
If your mind is telling youright now that you don't have
time for this, this is when youdefinitely want to buckle down
and keep listening.
Sometimes that old mind of oursdoes not have our back, and
this is a really good thing foryou that, honestly, I feel like
it will give you back timesomewhere in your day if you

(01:46):
take the time to do some springcleaning there, and it obviously
it's not just for spring.
I know this slant on springcleaning might sound weird, but
we humans and I find thisespecially true for business
owners and entrepreneurs is thatwe can get so fixated on
strategy and execution that wecan lose sight of our inner game

(02:09):
, which is made up of ourthoughts and our perspectives
and our beliefs, and thatmindset that it underpins
everything else.
Your mindset plays a huge rolein how you navigate your day and
lead your business.
Just recall a day when yourmind was in the dumps, let's say
, compared to a day where yourframe of mind was on the up and

(02:30):
up, and how that frame of mindimpacted the quality of your day
.
So let's get started.
Here we go.
Three steps.
Number one not a surprise toyou.
Clean up your thinking, andthis is a daily check-in.
That's why I talk about it somuch.
If you wake up with mentalclutter, guess what it's.

(02:50):
Normal Clutter can look likeunresolved issues from yesterday
or last week.
It can be negative self-talk,over-commitment, things that are
weighing on you because you'veover-committed your list of
to-dos.
It might look like rehashingconversations and situations
that happened yesterday or lastmonth.
Clutter distracts us from thepresent moment and, while we are

(03:13):
physically in one space, ourpresence and attention is lost
in our head.
Ever felt that way Many days.
I wake up unmotivated, tired,feeling like there's cobwebs in
my mind that literally formedovernight.
This clutter has the potentialto disrupt the entire day and it

(03:33):
can affect productivity,decision-making, communication
and just your overall wellbeing.
Maybe you've been feeling thisway for a while and that's a
good sign that it's time forsome spring cleaning.
When it's been around a while,you can start to feel powerless,
like this is just the waythings are.
But the truth is much, or maybeall of the way that you feel

(03:56):
can be caused by your thinking,and so the truth is, if you can
take some time to examine thisand take the lead of your
thoughts and lead them in a new,better direction.
You're going to feel theeffects of that rather quickly.
Here's how Think of it.
Like when I clean out my closet, I like to take everything out

(04:17):
first so that the space is allclean.
This is what you want to dowith your thoughts.
So start by taking a fewmoments to sit quietly and tune
into your thoughts.
Let them flow, without tryingto control or judge them.
You're just going to be theobserver of your mind, and
that's always a reminder to methat you are not your thoughts.

(04:38):
They are separate from youbecause you can watch them.
Then you're going to open yourjournal and start writing about
one of the.
Take one of the thoughts andjust start writing it on the
paper, and you're going to letthe thoughts just fall onto the
page, one followed by another.
Know that this doesn't.
There doesn't have to be anyrhyme or reason or order to them

(04:58):
.
They don't have to make sense,they don't have to be smart or
brilliant.
The whole goal is to let themspill onto the page Like think
of, like a pitcher of water andit's pouring out.
That's what you're going to dowith your thoughts.
Don't worry about grammar orcoherence.
The goal is to just get themout and down on the paper or on

(05:18):
a Google Doc.
This process alone will clearyour mind and relieve feelings
of being overwhelmed.
Get it all out.
Anything lingering keepemptying.
I'm going to take a short detourhere just for a moment to share
something with you.
I have help in my business in away that I've never had, and I
am feeling so blessed because Ihave more support.

(05:41):
And because I have more support, more things are happening and
we're able to do more likecreate gifts for you.
So I if you're not already onmy email list, I want to invite
you to join.
We are working to sync it upwith the podcast, and just this
past week we gave away ajournaling worksheet to go along

(06:03):
with an episode, and you cangrab that too.
I'm going to put a link in theshow notes for you and it will
also take you to where you canget on my email list if you are
not already there.
Okay, step two prioritize,organize your thoughts.
Much like decluttering a closetmy closet I'm thinking of in
the moment.
I make piles of things, so Ipull everything out of that

(06:27):
closet and then I make piles ofthings, things that are going to
of that closet and then I makepiles of things things that are
going to the trash, things thatare going to Goodwill, things I
need to try on to see if theystill fit or feel like my style
anymore, and then a pile ofthings to store for winter or
summer, whatever the seasonyou're in.
We can do the same sort ofprocess prioritizing and

(06:49):
organizing and sorting throughour thoughts, and this looks
like so, after that free writingthat you are going to do,
you're going to go back and readwhat you've written and take a
minute to just reflect on thesethoughts, see if there's any
patterns or reoccurring themes,reoccurring words.
Organize these thoughts intocategories, if possible.

(07:11):
This process can provide insightinto your thought patterns and
help you identify areas youmight want to focus on or change
.
Here are some categories youmight choose.
You might have one category ofgoals and aspirations, and these
are thoughts that you'rerelated to future plans or
ambitions or things you wish youhad in your life or would like

(07:33):
to achieve.
Second category could beworries and fears.
These thoughts are going torevolve around your concerns,
your anxieties, things thatscare you, things you're worried
about.
Another category could be dailytasks and responsibilities.
So these are the things thatare coming up in your thoughts
that you have to do related toyour everyday tasks, chores, job

(07:55):
responsibilities and otherobligations, and then you might
have a category forrelationships.
So these are the thoughts thatare about the people in your
life, your loved ones, yourfamily and friends, and spouse
and children and colleagues.
Your family and friends, andspouse and children and
colleagues.
And then extra credit for thisexercise is going to be to go
back and cross out anything inthese lists that you can't

(08:17):
control and then circle thethings that you can.
This is going to help you withfocus later.
Categorizing your thoughts canhelp you better understand where
you're spending your preciousmental thought energy and where
you're spending it on thingsthat are actually outside of
your control.
It also allows you to identifyplaces that might need some

(08:41):
attention or a differentapproach, something you know.
Sometimes we get thoughts thatwe're just noodling on for way
too long, and giving them lightand air to breathe can give you
some new insight on how toaddress them so that they aren't
taking up your energy anymore.
Sometimes this process canreveal blind spots, and these

(09:01):
can be the very things thatmight be slowing you down or
keeping you stuck in yourbusiness or in a relationship,
so that you can really springforward.
I want to take a minute here to.
I've been trying to be betterabout sharing with you what is
going on behind the scenes overhere and how it can impact you,
so recently I updated afoundational program that I have

(09:26):
been coaching for years.
It's now called the differentlycoaching experience and it's a
unique 12 week one on one livecoaching with interactive online
journaling program forindividuals who want to build a
better way of life.
I've taken hundreds of peoplethrough this over the years and
it's newly updated.
I want you to imagine having apersonal coach, a guide, right

(09:49):
by your side, helping you shedmental noise and old thought
patterns that keep you stuck,helping you gain control over
the direction of your life sothat you can take new, aligned
action and feel peaceful,confident and purpose filled.
That's the goal of our one onone coaching sessions.
But since life doesn't wait foryour next coaching session, the

(10:10):
interactive journaling programprovides a space where you get
to reflect and write, and youand I are connected in between
our coaching sessions so thatwhen you're out in the trenches
of your life.
I'm sort of in your back pocketand can support you along the
way.
You don't have to be ajournaler or a writer.
The journaling is just thevehicle, not the focus.

(10:31):
The focus is you.
After 12 weeks, you won't justwalk away with ideas.
You're going to leave with atoolkit a toolkit for navigating
your everyday life.
So are you ready to take youreyes off the bumps in the road
and instead get equipped for thejourney?
Go to visit.

(10:54):
On to step number three envisionsomething new.
Choose your focus, set youreyes in a new place.
This step is so important.
Just like in the example ofcleaning my closet.
Now that everything is out,sorted and organized, I like to
envision how I want my closet tolook before I put everything

(11:14):
back in, and that guideseverything I do.
Next, it's the same with yourthinking.
Now that you've cleaned it up,sorted through, brought some
light and air into that mind, wewant to set our eyes and
thoughts on something new.
This way, we can aim ourthinking and our doing to that
particular goal.
When we do this, we feel betterand are able to get ourselves

(11:37):
back in alignment with a biggerpurpose and feel like we're back
in the driver's seat of ourlife.
I once heard that goals are aplace to come from instead of
get to, and I love this so muchand find it to be absolutely
true.
Knowing where I'm aiming in abig picture sense whether it's
in my marriage, in my parenting,in my business it gives me my

(12:03):
actions for this day.
Be intentional about where youput your focus, because what you
focus on grows.
What are you aiming for?
I want you to really thinkabout that.
What are you currently aimingfor and is your frame of mind on
board?
I hope that now you have thetools to shift your frame of

(12:24):
mind, and this, again, isn'tjust a spring cleaning.
This is a daily habit and it'sone that I want to keep top of
mind more and more for you, soyou can be on the lookout for
more episodes like this.
My clients tell me that theyforget to do this and that it

(12:46):
makes such a difference in theway that they lead their day and
the way that they show up andare able to communicate with
their team, with their family,the clarity that they have in
making decisions and being ableto move with greater ease
through whatever shows up in theday.
It's a game changer.
Here are the things that wetalked about today.
Three steps Empty your thinking.
Give it some light and air.

(13:07):
Reduce overwhelm and stress bysorting, prioritizing and
organizing your thoughts intothose categories.
Next, choose your focus.
Take the lead of your thoughtsand align them to where you want
to be heading today.
If your mind is still tellingyou that you don't have time,
consider talking back to it.

(13:28):
Ask it is that really true?
I want you to really thinkabout this.
If you did this spring cleaningonce a week, how might that
impact your energy, yourrelationships, your mood, the
way you show up to your work?
I dare you to try it out.
I think you will be surprised.
I know you will be surprised.
That's it for today, my friend.

(13:49):
Here's to doing what it takesto clean up and maintain your
frame of mind.
It's with you 24 seven.
Let's do everything we can tomake it shine.
Thank you for tuning in to thisepisode of differently.
It's been an honor to sharethis conversation with you.
You know, one of the keys toliving fully is to take action

(14:11):
when you're inspired to do so.
I hope you found that spark ofinspiration today and would you
help us spread the word.
Did someone you know come tomind while you were listening.
If this episode could impactsomeone you know, please share
it and pass it along.
New episodes drop weekly, sotap that subscribe button and

(14:32):
join us next time as we continueto challenge the status quo and
get equipped to live lifedifferently.
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