Are you in need of some “Spring Cleaning”?

Imagine that we all have the same size house and we can only accumulate so much “stuff” before we can’t walk in the house anymore. However, we choose to keep bringing more and more things into our house until our house starts to become uncomfortable. Even though it’s uncomfortable, you just keep bringing in more and more “things.” At some point, not only is it uncomfortable, but it has become unbearable. You can hardly walk through the door and move around the house without something getting in your way or stumbling over something you didn’t see.

At this point, your house is almost filled to capacity and now there’s a breaking point. The breaking point means that you now have to make a choice. Since you’re literally unable to bring more “stuff” into the house, you have to start getting rid of some things and simplify. You find this no easy task because everything you brought in had a purpose at some point. You may even have an emotional attachment and that’s why you’ve held on to it for so long. However, because you hit this breaking point, you must get rid of some things. It’s time to do some “spring cleaning.”

Think about how you spring clean your house. You start by getting rid of the least important things – the easiest things for you to throw away. These are things you’re not really going to miss that much or you just don’t really need because they have served their purpose. Then you keep going down the line until you just keep the things that you really need or that you use on a regular basis.

When you’re finally done, it feels good and you realize that that simplifying your house and getting rid of the clutter is freeing. Now you even have more space and more options. Now you have an opportunity for “new” things to come in. What’s more, you’re wiser this time, realizing that you held on to some things for too long and they were just using up precious space.

Here’s the thing. Of course none of us all have a house that is the same size, however, we do all have something else that is the same. It’s time. We all have 24 hours in a day. We all get the same number of hours to use every single day. So let me ask you…

• Is your “house” filled to capacity? (Are your 24 hours all used up everyday?)
• Do you just have too much “stuff” going on? (Are you spending most of your hours doing things that no longer serve you?)
• How are you utilizing the “space” you have? (What other activities, obligations, responsibilities, are you taking on? Do you have space for them? Are they the best use of your time?)

After answering those questions, maybe you don’t need to do any “spring cleaning.” On the other hand, maybe you do. Maybe this would be a great time to do some spring cleaning of your time.

Just like you would do with the stuff in your house, start with getting rid of the easiest things. Stop and evaluate, then keep “cleaning” until you feel like you’ve only kept the things you really need.

When you’re done, you now have some “room” for new opportunities to come in, maybe in the form of healthier activities or healthier friends, for example. A part of “spring cleaning” is learning how to start saying “no” to things you know you don’t want and “yes” to the things that you know are going to serve you and create the environment that you wish to live in.

Today, I encourage you to do a little “spring cleaning” of your priorities, especially when it comes to the health of your body and your mind. Simplify your “house.” Get rid of the things that are taking up too much room that you don’t really need anymore. It’s your house. It’s your 24 hours. Many things will knock at your door, but ultimately it’s your choice who or what you allow to come in and stay.