If you're like me, you're probably like an eager blossoming tulip once the weather touches 65 degrees and the sun beams warm the earth. You can't wait to soak in the newness of the season, the chirping and buzzing activity in nature, people coming out of hibernation, the colorful fashions, the smells of grills and flowers in the air, the dewy grass between your toes, and extended daylight hours. Yep, it's Spring! Excluding the allergies, it is a generally pleasant time of year rich of possibilities of rebirth, renew, refreshment, reassessment, and reconnection. To make the most of the season and the wonderful possibilities of change, here's a few tips regarding purposeful Spring Cleaning:
Physically
You hold onto that one blue sock for months hoping that the dryer monster will soon make its mate reappear. You ignore the warning signs of hypertension, obesity, abuse, mental illness, and sleep deprivation hoping 'this too will pass'. Your phone or social media contacts consist of numerous 'frenemies', tolerated unknowns, or unended ex-files. You are doing yourself a great disservice if you hold onto people or things that provide no current or future value to you, affects the safety of you, your children or others, consumes energy that is rightly due to another, or dismiss clear evidence that your health is in jeopardy. One African Proverb says, “It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.” Isn't it better that our cups overflow with blessings that enhance our health and creates space in our life for things of greater substance and value, than to have a cup full of things that drain, confuse, devalue, and exhaust us?
Financially
The definition of insanity is doing the same things while expecting different results. When you entered this new year, likely you expressed many hopes, goals, and implemented your plan of attack. As you review your first quarter activities how did you do? Did you adjust for growth, loss, staff changes, funding sources, acquired skilled assistance for complex needs in taxes, marketing, branding, legal, etc? Are you taking steps to live more frugally – removing items/activities that drain your savings goals – while still enjoying occasional inexpensive/free fun? Have you considered the pros and cons of supplementing your income by forming strategic partnerships for contract bids, premium vending opportunities, or freelancing? The best way to maintain sensible financial goals is to understand where you currently are, why you are there, and what you can do about it without delay, delegation, or digression.
Mentally
A cluttered mind is an troubled mind. Clutter is creates frustration, is unhealthy, and stifles a free flow of expression, creativity, healing, energy, and focus. While it is true that we are busier than ever, working multiple jobs, juggling numerous roles, responsible for weightier decisions, faced with more unique challenges, and bombarded with countless offers, deals, requests, demands, and needs from others our minds are our most precious asset and must be protected from being consumed with non-essentials or just plain junk. Make sure that your mind isn't someone else's dumping ground by being selective of what you allow to go into it it.
Yes, it can be fearful beginning anew. Fear is like hard butter, once you start applying pressure through action, it melts!Beginning anew can indeed transform – even save – your life. While it is nice to plant new flower beds, touch up the wall's paint, change the curtains, put on a new outfit, make sure that your Spring Cleaning is done with the purpose of adopting and reinforcing new healthier and smarter habits rather than simply repeating detrimental old detrimental in a beautiful new season!
© 2012 Da-Nel Euwings
Founder, Executive Director, Women Still Standing, Certified Massage Therapist, Owner of Le'Nad Massage & Wellness Services, Author, and TIPS Certified Bartender
Physically
You hold onto that one blue sock for months hoping that the dryer monster will soon make its mate reappear. You ignore the warning signs of hypertension, obesity, abuse, mental illness, and sleep deprivation hoping 'this too will pass'. Your phone or social media contacts consist of numerous 'frenemies', tolerated unknowns, or unended ex-files. You are doing yourself a great disservice if you hold onto people or things that provide no current or future value to you, affects the safety of you, your children or others, consumes energy that is rightly due to another, or dismiss clear evidence that your health is in jeopardy. One African Proverb says, “It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.” Isn't it better that our cups overflow with blessings that enhance our health and creates space in our life for things of greater substance and value, than to have a cup full of things that drain, confuse, devalue, and exhaust us?
Financially
The definition of insanity is doing the same things while expecting different results. When you entered this new year, likely you expressed many hopes, goals, and implemented your plan of attack. As you review your first quarter activities how did you do? Did you adjust for growth, loss, staff changes, funding sources, acquired skilled assistance for complex needs in taxes, marketing, branding, legal, etc? Are you taking steps to live more frugally – removing items/activities that drain your savings goals – while still enjoying occasional inexpensive/free fun? Have you considered the pros and cons of supplementing your income by forming strategic partnerships for contract bids, premium vending opportunities, or freelancing? The best way to maintain sensible financial goals is to understand where you currently are, why you are there, and what you can do about it without delay, delegation, or digression.
Mentally
A cluttered mind is an troubled mind. Clutter is creates frustration, is unhealthy, and stifles a free flow of expression, creativity, healing, energy, and focus. While it is true that we are busier than ever, working multiple jobs, juggling numerous roles, responsible for weightier decisions, faced with more unique challenges, and bombarded with countless offers, deals, requests, demands, and needs from others our minds are our most precious asset and must be protected from being consumed with non-essentials or just plain junk. Make sure that your mind isn't someone else's dumping ground by being selective of what you allow to go into it it.
Yes, it can be fearful beginning anew. Fear is like hard butter, once you start applying pressure through action, it melts!Beginning anew can indeed transform – even save – your life. While it is nice to plant new flower beds, touch up the wall's paint, change the curtains, put on a new outfit, make sure that your Spring Cleaning is done with the purpose of adopting and reinforcing new healthier and smarter habits rather than simply repeating detrimental old detrimental in a beautiful new season!
© 2012 Da-Nel Euwings
Founder, Executive Director, Women Still Standing, Certified Massage Therapist, Owner of Le'Nad Massage & Wellness Services, Author, and TIPS Certified Bartender
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