Clear Internal Clutter

My days are packed with activity. I work full time, write part time and I have a life full of people demanding my attention. Is it any wonder I struggle with a messy home, overrun with stacks of magazines, piles of laundry and cubbies of clutter? While I can see the external clutter as a symptom of my hectic life, it's more difficult to identify the sources of my internal clutter.

Unfortunately, internal clutter doesn't collect dust harmlessly in the corner. Internal clutter can derail your success, interfere in your relationships or cause health issues.

What type of internal clutter are you dealing with?

Regrets - "If Only" is make believe and fantasy. In the real world there are no do over's but that doesn't stop us from imagining what could have been. Instead of wasting time looking back, focus on your thoughts and actions today. Accept the past, because without your experiences you wouldn't be where you are today. The hardest knocks usually teach us the most valuable lessons, so focus on how much you gained from the experience not what it has cost you.

Shoulds - As long as you tell yourself you "should" take action, you are putting off the decision to either do it or not. Your "real" priorities are revealed with the actions you take, or fail to take and they don't always align with the priorities you imagine. Until health is a priority, you'll continue to put off exercise and wallow in shoulds.

Self Doubt - Second guessing, endless worry and procrastination are symptoms of self doubt.

Criticism - We may forget who said it first, but our inner critic rarely lets us forget what was said. I imagine my inner critic is an uptight librarian, cataloging the tomes of my life, indexed and cross referenced. Every embarrassment, disappointment or misstep I've made can be retrieved instanteously. If I even consider taking a risk, she looks at me over her horn rimmed glasses, purses her lips and says in a stern voice "Is that wise? You do remember when...." Your inner critic actually has good intentions. It is a defense mechanism against failure and disappointment, but ironically it bullies you into submission, guaranteeing failure and disappointment. When your critic shouts the loudest, whisper these words: "I know you're afraid, but everything is perfect just as it is." To which she'll scream "You Idiot! It is not perfect. It is exactly the opposite of perfect." Reassure her once again, "I know you're afraid, but everything is perfect just as it is." With enough practice, hopefully you (and she) will know that everything is perfect. You are exactly where you are meant to be at that moment in time. Don't question the divine plan; just know you are a part of it.

Junk Mail - all those unsolicited comments from insensitive jerks, dating back to grade school. There is a story of Buddha, who once visited a village to share his teachings and was verbally attacked by a man of the village. Rather than getting angry or being hurt by the insults, Buddha listened until the man was exhausted by his tirade, and then he asked "Son, have you ever given a gift to someone?" The man was surprised by the question, but he answered "Of course." Buddha asked "If a person refused to accept your present, to whom would it belong?" The man answered "In that case, it would belong to me who offered it." Buddha said, "My son, you have for me a gift of abused words, but I accept nothing and request that you to keep it to yourself."

Are you accepting gifts from others and holding onto them even though they are unwanted? If so, now is the perfect time to perform mental spring cleaning. Discard all the unwanted and nonproductive clutter and make room for fresh ideas and opportunity.

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