Time to Start Spring Cleaning

The first-ever article I had published in a newspaper column was titled Time to Start Spring Cleaning.

In January 1990 I proposed doing spring cleaning at the start of the new year to get rid of your mental clutter as well clothes and other items.

In this first week of February, I filled four donation bags to have the Salvation Army truck driver pick up in the spring.

Letting go of what no longer serves us in our lives is the gateway to setting our intention for what we want to achieve in the coming year.

What I discarded in terms of clothes was telling: a lot of gray and brown items. Realizing that those dark drab colors only served to make me feel tired and depressed.

Bring on magenta! Hello yellow! Blast off in blue!

Injecting color into my wardrobe was one method to give me the energy to go after my goals with gusto.

You might look stunning and feel great wearing gray and brown.

Figuring out what to trash and what to keep is a personal decision. This will require taking an honest look at what you’ve bought–and the myths you’ve bought into–over the years.

Letting go of weedy overgrown thoughts. Changing negative perceptions about what you can do.

Replacing the old and outdated. Getting into a new frame of mind. Seeing clearly that you have options.

This I’ve found for me starts with cleaning out my closet and drawers. A clothing purge is the first step I take to improve my thinking. This enables me to feel that I can achieve what I set out to do in the coming months.

In the next blog entry, I will talk about finding things to be grateful for even when your job might be challenging.

On the cusp of my birthday, I’ve figured out ways to have fun on my job and outside my job.

I’ll talk about this in more detail as regards measures to improve our mental health. What I firmly believe is that you don’t need to buy and own a ton of stuff to feel happy.

The opposite I’ve learned is true: having an overstuffed closet of clothes can make you feel depressed and overwhelmed.

Enjoying life is as simple as the connections we make with other people. It doesn’t cost a ton of money to talk on the telephone or meet on a park bench.