It’s mid-January here in the Northeast. And although today is feeling more like a proper crisp, January morning, we just experienced one of the most beautiful, record-breaking weekends in over 100 years. Nearly 70 degrees and breezy, instead of a high of 40 and freezing. That weather had me opening windows, airing out the house, breaking out the vacuum and spraying the Windex. It felt like spring cleaning, and it evoked a desire for change and transformation within me.
Is a fresh start something your house, body, and soul need? Will 2020 be your year for a change?
I am in the business of organizing household items, and I have an inherent interest in the process of change. I love how physical inventory or clutter can be discarded, recycled, repurposed, and reordered. It’s a messy, yet beautiful process of lightening a load, sorting out the remains, and re-establishing purpose and attention to the things that remain. Those things that remain are necessary, useful, and joyful to us. Bearing witness to the transformational magic of physically purging clutter and creating order recently reminded me about how important it is to take inventory of all aspects of life.
The transformative process of purging can be applied to our personal lives as well. For me, 2020 is about shedding some layers that no longer fit the new person I am becoming. Being in the moment, feeling the warm breeze on my skin, and listening to my kid’s laughter on this weekend of rare spring-like weather, helped me to realize how much my mind and soul also craved a bit of pseudo spring cleaning.
I took the time to take a walk with my dog while taking a mental inventory of the most active aspects of my current life. I asked myself, what do I fill my days with? What kind of food, friends, activities, projects, worries, desires, and goals do I share my life with? Are these things beneficial to my goals and personal development? Or are these thoughts just hanging around my conscience like mental clutter? Old fears, continual worries, personal admonishments, and negative self-talk about being less-than, unworthy, or afraid-of are all broken belief systems. We unconsciously gather them along the way of life, tuck them away and forget to let them go. But they are stacked there in our souls, taking up space, and holding us back.
Is it also time for you to let go of old memories, and negativity? If so, then let them go any way you know how to. Don’t think for a second that you can’t, or that you don’t know how. There aren't any rules for this. Perhaps you can start with a mantra, a string of positive 'I ams'. Say them out loud, write them down on post-it notes and stick them on mirrors or in drawers so it’s the first thing you read in the morning. Write down those old beliefs or activities that no longer serve you on pieces of paper, and then physically put them in the trash. Or remember that little 5-year-old kid that you once were. Tell that baby girl (or boy) that you love them, that they deserve laughter, joy, healthy relationships, success, and love. Especially love. Whatever their heart’s desire. Tell that child that it is worthy of every little bit of it.
A good purge, be it physical, or emotional is often one of the first steps to getting your home and life into order. When the clutter diminishes you can take control and live your life with more purpose. ‘Stuff’ often carries emotional weight with it. Unburdening yourself from physical and emotional clutter often leads to powerful feelings of freedom. Loving yourself enough to invest time and attention into your well-being helps you to serve the world and those around you better. It allows you to consciously create the life you want and deserve to live.
So, while others are still hibernating, get a jumpstart on spring cleaning. Start within, and call me when you need help with the household stuff. I’ll be there for you.