Spring Cleaning and Starting Fresh

We talk about carrying "baggage" and when you think about it, after a certain age, we start noticing that, on one hand, life seems to be about acquiring or learning new things, and on the other hand, it is about getting rid of the junk, the baggage that accumulates, weighs us down, and no longer serves us. It makes me wonder if our physical Spring cleaning isn't a way to let the real renewal that typifies Spring into our lives. The difference between cleaning the closet and cleaning out other kinds of bad habit/bad attitude baggage is that in the closet we can really see it, that is, if we open the door, or if we can open the door. But rather than focus on the negative first, why not think about what you are going to fill your closet with when you get the old stuff out! If you were starting fresh, what would your high self-esteem self want to see in there? More fun? A more positive attitude? A more supportive community? Greater intimacy? Being a more supportive partner? What's missing that could help you thrive? Because we know that great things happen when you tie an intention to any action. Here is your exercise and it is straight from the Gratitude Cycle in Chapter 10.

1) Pick a closet, drawer or cupboard that you want to clean in your home.

2) Think of what would be the ideal thing(s) that closet could hold that would be most convenient for you and so you could see it all, and get to it all.

3) As you reorganize your cupboard, drawer or closet, also reflect on what you would be removing from your own emotional closet, one thing, and what positive thing you would replace it with.

4) Once you come up with the thing going and the thing you will be starting with, tell your intention to a supportive buddy.

5) Bring some awareness to whatever it is and praise yourself every time you reflect on it, or do something towards it.

Now sit back and see what happens. The worst that can happen, is you will have a newly organized closet, drawer or cupboard.