Now that spring is here (well, we’re still getting hail and snow showers, but that’s typical of spring in southwestern Ontario), it’s a great time to do a cleanse! I know, you’re probably thinking “colon cleanse”, which is a good idea to do too, but I’m not referring to that kind of cleanse.
Some people would use the word “purge” instead, but to me, “cleanse” just sounds more pleasant, less aggressive than “purge”. I’ve been told that I’m quirky, and I guess I am, but I feel that the words we use with ourselves are just as important as the words we use with others. So when I say, “cleanse”, I’m being gentle with myself, and I hope you will be too.
This past October I did a pretty thorough cleanse because I was moving from my apartment to stay temporarily with my sister, so I did all the sorting, reorganizing, yard sales and donations that I could at that time.
But now we’re about six months along, and so it’s time to do even more. I didn’t sell all that I had on offer during my previous yard sales, but I’m in a different neighborhood now, so who knows what’ll be desired here. Due to the most recent lockdown we’re having here in Ontario, I don’t foresee having the yard sale until probably June, but it’s never too early to get organized.
Having a yard sale is a win-win, in my opinion, as it gives me the opportunity to sell what I no longer use and it saves money for the buyer too.
When I have yard sales, I make sure there’s enough space between tables for social distancing, I have two sizes of disposable gloves on hand (and a bin to dispose them in) and I provide hand sanitizer. I’ve had many people tell me that they really appreciate the thought and caring I’ve put into the organization of my yard sales.
(I’d like to add too…and I don’t know if it’s because they are appreciative of my thoughtfulness or they just like me or why, but during my last three yard sales, I had people OVERPAY, on purpose, refusing change….I couldn’t believe it. Most yard sales I’ve hosted in the past, if something was listed at 25 cents, they’d ask if I would accept 10 cents….but now, nothing I had was less than a dollar….some of my art sold for considerably more than asking price….I was so touched by this!)
Did you know that clutter can affect your anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus? It’s true. It can also make us less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies, which makes us more likely to snack on junk food. Cleansing is really good for us on so many levels!
So let’s get into it….5 simple cleanses you can do today:
1. Start with your bedroom. This is the room you likely start and end your day in, so having it clutter-free is a great way to jump-start your day on a positive note and to end your day with a sense of accomplishment. A few suggestions on how to achieve this:
- Open your window if possible. It’s important to let out the pent-up energy that’s littering your air space. In Chinese culture, this energy is called chi.
I’m not Chinese, I’m Canadian with Croatian roots, but I’ve always been open to learning about different cultures, and I go with what makes sense to me.
Chi, pronounced “chee”, is energy flowing within you. It’s what gives you vitality, and fullness of life. A person with balanced chi will feel full of energy, joy, and have a zest for life.
- Dirty clothes should be in a hamper, not on the floor, because negative chi can get trapped in anything littering your floor space
- Look around your bedroom and really see what’s there. Pretend it’s not your room. Pretend you’re visiting a friend and seeing their space for the first time. If what you see doesn’t have a function or bring you joy….get rid of it. You can donate it, sell it, or give it to someone you feel could make better use of it.
2. Get outside! How does this relate to cleansing? Well, for me, when I go for a good long walk (two hours is what I consider a good walk), I don’t just walk the whole time. I stop, sit on a bench, or stand by the river, and just listen. I listen to the bird songs, I listen to the wind, I listen to my thoughts. And I let go. I let go of any negative thoughts that might have gotten caught in the cob-webs of my mind. I let go of any pent-up feelings I might have. I let go of burdens that aren’t mine to carry. I just let go.
By the time I’ve gotten back home, I feel like a re-set switch was flipped, I feel lighter and in a better mood. I feel cleansed.
3. One easy thing you can do on a daily basis, which only takes a few moments of your time is to maintain your closet. I know, not earth-shattering. Hey, I never claimed any of my thoughts would be earth-shattering, just, maybe, make you see things differently….or remind you of what you already know but maybe forgot?
Closet space is limited and I personally hate when things are so tightly packed that they come out wrinkled….so if I add a new (to me) item of clothing, I take out one item of clothing, put it in a box, and when I have enough items accumulated, I take the box to the donation center.
There are many ways you can organize the clothes in your closet….I like to do mine by color, because that’s how I dress myself….like maybe I’m in a “pink mood” today, or maybe I’m in a “grey mood”. So then I just focus on that section of the closet. Time-saver.
4. Take a moment and notice how you’re spending your time. Is it benefiting YOUR life?
For instance, whatever you’re watching, on Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, Netflix, is it enhancing the quality of YOUR life? Will it impact YOUR life five years from now?
I learned today that there are Youtubers with over 8 million subscribers (one of them has over 20 million!) and do you know what this Youtuber’s channel is about? Playing Minecraft. So, their subscribers are watching them play….and making them multi-millionaires in the process.
Now, maybe I’m a dinosaur, but “back in the day” when I was a kid, I actually played with stuff….I didn’t ever sit and watch someone else play with a toy, nor could I imagine ever enjoying watching someone else play with a toy while I just sat by.
When I was a teenager, I was focused on school and having good grades, was on various high school teams (both sport and otherwise), and spent time hanging out with my friends (in person, not online…there was no “online” when I was a kid….the only “line” was the ones we drew on the sidewalk with chalk….or the one we would “get set, get ready, go!” on.
As a young adult, I was focused on my job, on being a mother, on being a good wife.
Never, over the course of those three decades did I ever say to myself, “Geez, I wish I could watch someone play a video game“.
But, times change, things are different now, and 8 million people (at least) think that this is a normal thing to do. Maybe it is. Maybe I’m the one who’s not normal? But you know what? 5, 10, 20 years from now, and on my deathbed, I can GUARANTEE you that I won’t be thinking about a video game.
I will be thinking about all the memories I’ve made in my life, the places I’ve been, near and far, the people I spent time with, the experiences I’ve shared with those I love most.
Ok, wow. I got off on a doozy of a tangent there (get used to it, I do it a lot lol). And now back to our originally scheduled program lol
Since COVID turned our lives upside down, the quarantines, and all the lock downs we’ve had plus being laid off work since April 2020 (I’m a senior travel consultant), I too have watched a tonne of Youtube videos….but they’ve been to learn things, not to just numb my mind.
My goal is to buy a vehicle (van, school bus, ambulance, something along those lines) this year and convert it into a tiny-home-on-wheels.
All the YT videos I’ve watched, (ok, not ALL, but say 95%) are about #vanlife; how to build out my rig, what to expect, how to handle the unexpected, “must have gear”, “don’t waste your money on this gear”, etc. (the other 5% are for my other interests: art, cooking, travel, jewelry-making, “Would I Lie To You”).
Sure, I check my social media feeds daily, and I like to “Netflix and chill” but I don’t let those things rule my day. I just don’t feel it’s beneficial to me, so why would I devote so much of my time to it? To make someone else richer?
What does this have to do with clutter? What we watch is taking up room in our brain. Manage what you watch and some of the clutter will clear from your mind. It’s also very time-consuming watching these things, and that time could be better spent doing something that benefits YOU and not someone else.
5. This may sound harsh, but I’m going to say it anyway…..think about the people you have in your life right now. Who is REALLY there for you? Keep those people in your life. Who’s toxic? Negative? Draining to be with? Remove those people from your life.
I’m an empath, so I feel people on a deeper level than some other people do. I’m a helper, I want to help whenever I can, whomever I can, however I can. But I’ve realized over the years that that wasn’t good for MY mental health. I was so focused on others, that I forgot about myself.
Also, there’s a saying that people will treat you the way you allow them to treat you. If you aren’t being treated well, kindly, and with caring, remove that person from your life. If you can’t remove them (because they’re a family member for instance) then just spend less time with them.
So there you have it, 5 cleanses you can do today.
Thanks for giving me fiveish minutes of your time!
If you found some value in this, please leave a comment below!
Constructive criticism is also welcome but please know, Comments are moderated and if they are found to be disrespectful, they will be deleted.
Fiveish 