Konmari Your Mind for a Better Night’s Sleep

by Patti Fabrick

Marie Kondo, with her enthusiasm for tidying, has taken the world by storm.  Everyone is asking, “Does this spark joy?” and ridding their lives of clutter, one garden gnome at a time.

But what if you could do the same with your mind?  And what if this made for a better night’s sleep?

At the end of the day, sit down with pen and paper.  Go over your experiences of the day, examining each one and asking, “Did that spark joy?”

If yes, then write it down!  Celebrate that positive moment in your day.

Of course, there will be experiences that did NOT spark joy. Those are the cluttered thoughts that fill your mind with negativity and keep you awake.  So we’re going to apply a little positive thinking and Konmari that clutter.

Take each negative experience and switch it up with a positive statement.  For example:

I screwed up at work today.

Could be positively stated as…

I am constantly improving my work and take extreme ownership of my mistakes.

Write down your positive statement, reading it out loud as you write.

Now, do the same for the experiences you are anticipating for tomorrow.  Do you have a meeting with a “Negative Nelly” who always brings you down?  Make it:

I am a positive person who doesn’t let others affect my mood.

Again, write it down!  Let that new thought spark joy.  And thank the old thought for bringing you to this positive place.

It takes a little practice but tidying up your mind before bed is a great way to help get a better night’s sleep.  Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!