The Things We Put Up With
As I was packing up my house for storage prior to my first attempt to walk across America, I discovered so much "stuff" that needed to go. It was either an unused item, a single something that once was a part of a pair, like one shoelace which might have been fine had I just one foot but being ultimately blessed with two feet, the one lace was just superfluous. I remember thinking that it would have been useful to tie up tomato plants, except I didn't have any tomato plants at the time. I even packed this one lonely lace in my toolbox to take with me...hey you never know, right?
Other things I discovered were broken items that desperately needed repair, like the face of a drawer in my kitchen. It had been sitting on the counter gathering dust and debris for 2 years. I finally repaired it and not only did it look great but I felt great for doing it. Not only that but the gaping hole that I used to just cram stuff into became a proper, self-respecting junk drawer! Speaking of junk drawers...I had 4 of them in my kitchen and these took an inordinate amount of time and energy to clean out.
Seriously? 4 junk drawers? In one room?
The point is all that unnecessary stuff causes stress. We aren't aware of it because it is low-level stress, but the screen that is torn, the flower pot that sits outside the front door filled with dead plants and the closet that is crammed full of clothes that haven't seen the light of day for a decade...these things are called "tolerations". They are things we just "put up with". But these things are as insidious as termites, they eat away at our peace. And then there are the biggies: the sibling that ridicules and undermines our every decision; the demanding, controlling parent; the co-worker who consistently snags our favorite pen off our desk; the significant other who takes us for granted, disrespecting our value and stepping over boundaries like a gazelle leaping over a stream...effortlessly.
The list of things we humans put up with is endless indeed.
But in order to improve our life, or our life situation so that we can find and live our joy, our bliss, we must get rid of these things we put up with, these things we tolerate.
So take a few hours this weekend and ruthlessly attack your junk drawers or closets. Make a long list of what needs your attention and over the next several months, clear out all that stuff you tolerate. Believe me, the clearing and power that you will experience will give you the gas to keep going and work on all those people that may need to be extricated from your life. The tangible cleaning will empower you to address the toxicity that holds you back from being your very best self.
Other things I discovered were broken items that desperately needed repair, like the face of a drawer in my kitchen. It had been sitting on the counter gathering dust and debris for 2 years. I finally repaired it and not only did it look great but I felt great for doing it. Not only that but the gaping hole that I used to just cram stuff into became a proper, self-respecting junk drawer! Speaking of junk drawers...I had 4 of them in my kitchen and these took an inordinate amount of time and energy to clean out.
Seriously? 4 junk drawers? In one room?
The point is all that unnecessary stuff causes stress. We aren't aware of it because it is low-level stress, but the screen that is torn, the flower pot that sits outside the front door filled with dead plants and the closet that is crammed full of clothes that haven't seen the light of day for a decade...these things are called "tolerations". They are things we just "put up with". But these things are as insidious as termites, they eat away at our peace. And then there are the biggies: the sibling that ridicules and undermines our every decision; the demanding, controlling parent; the co-worker who consistently snags our favorite pen off our desk; the significant other who takes us for granted, disrespecting our value and stepping over boundaries like a gazelle leaping over a stream...effortlessly.
The list of things we humans put up with is endless indeed.
But in order to improve our life, or our life situation so that we can find and live our joy, our bliss, we must get rid of these things we put up with, these things we tolerate.
So take a few hours this weekend and ruthlessly attack your junk drawers or closets. Make a long list of what needs your attention and over the next several months, clear out all that stuff you tolerate. Believe me, the clearing and power that you will experience will give you the gas to keep going and work on all those people that may need to be extricated from your life. The tangible cleaning will empower you to address the toxicity that holds you back from being your very best self.
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