Encourage your family to take part in spring cleaning while teaching them life skills to create space, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost their overall mood with these five activities.

Take your spring cleaning to a new level by making space in your physical environment and working on your mental wellness with our 31-day calendar.

As we near springtime, I believe it’s important we take inventory of our environment. My own mental health is affected by cleanliness. I wouldn’t go as far as calling myself a neat freak, but I really don’t like clutter. For five years, I have worked on de-cluttering my mind from self-sabotaging thoughts due to clinical depression and anxiety. It’s always a bit of a battle for me, but I know in the long run, that taking small steps each day to de-clutter my world is important. If you struggle in this area yourself, you are not alone.

My daughter is a twenty-two-year-old bio engineering student. She is a hardworking girl, but she takes care of her hygiene poorly and her room is not walkable. Everything is on the floor. She gets mad when I talk to her about hygiene. A little background, my daughter has PCOS. I have spent a lot of money on laser hair removal, with not great results. When she was younger, she was bullied because of her condition and would come home crying. She does not want to go to a therapist. I’m not sure how to help her or what to do for her. 

Recently, I was contacted by a frontline staff member and new mom who asked to hear more about my career journey and any tips I had to help her excel in her career. Early in my career, I did the same thing. I, too, was a little hesitant and am so grateful to that senior leader who gave me her time. Here are some steps I’ve learned over the years to help you take control of your future.

I've had a lot of change and tragedy in my life recently. I'm not perfect but I think I'm handling it ok. But others in my life are encouraging me to get professional help. How do I know if they are right or if I really do need therapy?

One of the biggest shocks as a new foster parent is the complete upheaval of routines. Enter: children who never had a routine, innocent kids whose lives were completely uprooted, living in different phases of trauma. Routine and structure are things of privilege, but finding a way to love yourself is essential. Adoptive/foster parent Cherie Johnson shares five steps she took to make sure she made time for herself.

My friend committed suicide a week ago and I can’t stop blaming myself. Three weeks ago, he told me he wanted to commit suicide, but he was too scared. I did not think he would do it. He also wrote to me saying if we would meet, he might not want to kill himself. I keep reading those messages. I can’t get it out of my head. I am someone who suffers from depression and have been suicidal as well. I can’t do this anymore. Is there any way I could get through this pain? Are there any other realities other than depression? I’ve lost all hope.

Depression. An unceasing battle I had watched impact so many of those around me, but never expected to face myself. We all know the saying, “when it rains it pours,” and let me tell you, life REALLY can pour when it wants to. A year ago, I chose to seek out help and in doing so I saved my life.

My neighbor doesn't keep up his yard. In the winter, he never shovels the sidewalk and in the summer, it's the grass. I know it's not my business but it bothers me. Can I say something? How can I get over this when I have to look at it every day?