Every year we have a wonderful ritual of cleaning, don't we? We clean and paint our houses, we declutter our cupboards, our cars, and our gardens. How about if this year, we clean our hearts and our bodies too, our social circles and our mind?
It feels like it's time to clean our life from all these webs that are holding us back from building the life we want and deserve, from feeling peace and stability within ourselves. As humans, we have become accustomed to things being done a certain way. We have been taught at school that the world is made up of subjects and objects or that it has a certain structure. But the reality is something very different. The world is in a state of constant flux and is being recreated every moment. In the same way, everything and everyone in our lives is always in a state of flux. Change is constant. Some things disappear and others appear to take their place.
And for this, part of the cleaning process implies that we must let go of some people, some habits, and some situations that no longer are serving us. It's not always easy to let go but it is necessary if we want to create room for the new to make its way into our lives. Often letting go is difficult because we become attached to people, ways of being, and situations. We think that because we have shared experiences and been through things together it means we are deeply connected. This is not true. It is only an illusion created by our minds.
This is especially important when it comes to the webs we build around ourselves. Often we allow these webs to grow and build up until they're hard to break free from. But we really need to make time to clear them away, or they'll end up becoming a tangled mess that's hard to deal with.
The first step would be to open our eyes and see with absolute clarity the situation as it is in the present moment. To do this we need to stop putting our own interpretation and thoughts on it and instead approach it from a neutral point of view.
The people that surround you, how do they make you feel? Do you feel comfortable with them? Do they support you or are they holding you back? Do they encourage you in your goals or do they discourage you? Are they present or absent?
The place where you are in? Does it inspire you or do you feel a bit trapped? Is it dark and murky or light and airy? Do you feel safe or insecure there?
The habits that you currently have. Are you satisfied with them? If not, why not? Are they working for you or against you? Are they bringing joy into your life or are they causing you pain?
If you are surrounded by people that constantly put you down and push you away then you might need to cut those people out of your life. They don't have any good intentions for you and they are only holding you back from achieving your goals in life. They are toxic and unnecessary in your life and you should let them go.
When you have made a life decision that requires you to leave a particular place, do take time to remember and honor all that you have experienced and learned in that space. Appreciate the people you have met along the way. Do not mourn the loss but instead celebrate the lessons learned from it and move on.
If you have habits that are toxic for you and are slowly killing you then it's time to make a change. Stop doing that and replace it with a healthy habit instead. This could be something as simple as waking up early every day or going on a jog every morning, but as long as you replace it with a healthier habit that will help you achieve your fitness goals then you are on the right track.
And then, from this new space, cleaner, lighter, you will feel freer to do what it is that you want to do. Your self-confidence and awareness will have grown and you'll be ready to take on the world with renewed vigor. That is the whole point after all! Remember your values and stay true to them. Be true to yourself and you will find your way.
Clean those webs, now not later!
What habits are you willing to give up today in order to lead a healthier, happier life?