Spring is in full swing. The days are brighter and full of immense possibilities. We are pulled out of our winter “funk” and feel motivated and sprightly once again. Spring cleaning is also upon us, and so we must dust off those cobwebs. By cleaning our surroundings, we are ready to welcome the good weather and the refreshed attitudes that come with it. Moreover, spring cleaning does not just refer to the tidiness of our homes but also the organization of our minds. While cleaning our surroundings does wonders for our spaces, we must also do the work of freeing up the chaos wreaking havoc in our minds.
As the school year winds down, I know I am incredibly overwhelmed. I have a million projects, tests, and homework assignments due before the end of the year and the thought of getting them all done leaves me feeling paralyzed. Through this, I have lost sight of what grounds me and is key to my own self-care. I do not get as much sleep as I should, nor do I prioritize the activities that make me happy. With the added stress, my stutter becomes more apparent. During these times, it is not my disfluency that bothers me but my own anxiety.
When life gets hectic, my stutter is a complete manifestation of my own inner turmoil. The chaos in my brain bubbles to the surface and my stutter is the result. So, this spring, I am prioritizing my mental health and writing “CLEANSE YOUR MIND” in big red ink on the top of my to-do list. I am prioritizing this task not because of my stutter but because my mind is in desperate need of organization. April showers bring May flowers, so we must put in the work to reap the fruits of our own labor. I want to think of my stutter as an integral part of who I am instead of the product of a chaotic mind.
