Cleaning Up From The Inside Out
We all want to live good lives. We all want to be happy, peaceful, and successful. But sometimes it feels like we’re far away from our dreams, and that our lives are kind of a mess. Maybe you feel that way. I’ve definitely felt that way on more than one occasion. But no matter how messy your life is right now, you can turn it around in an instant….
I first read about living a “cleaned up life” in Journey to Awakening by Ram Dass. The concept grabbed my attention right away. I’d been reading self help books since I was 16, but I never heard anyone use that term in the way he used it. He said, “When you want to burn away the grip of your ego on your awareness you’ll endure whatever is needed to clean up your life”
He was using the term in the context of spirituality. He didn’t take the motivational, productivity angle. He was saying that life and spirituality are the same thing. And that when you honor one, you honor the other.
All this spirituality talk can sound so fluffy, and impractical. But to me, when you stop and really think about it, it’s the most practical way to live. When I read about living a cleaned up life, and thought about my own life, the truth became so clear to me…the outer world reflects the inner world.
You can see this in your own life. It’s just the way things work. They can’t work any other way. What you’ve got going on inside of you are seeds, and what you’ve got going on outside is the fruit of those seeds.
You could spend a lifetime trying to clean sour fruit out of your garden. You could spend a lifetime hating it. Or…you can pull out the roots and plant new seeds.
How, Specifically Do You Clean Up Your Life?
The Inner Steps
1. Get Quiet. This is the only thing you really need to do to clean up your life. Once you start getting quiet, you make room for your life to heal. You’ll get clear on why things are the way they are. You’ll see new solutions. You’ll purge old emotions and beliefs that keep causing the same problems to show up for you. If you want to clean up your life, don’t hesitate another minute. Meditate every day. Even if you can only do five minutes at first, that’s ok. Just. Start. Meditating.
2. Know that You Create Your Life. Most of the things you complain about are actually in your life because of you. We aren’t God, but we have way more control over our lives than we tend to believe. I complained for years about almost every aspect of my life, until I finally understood that I was the common denominator. Once I realized this fact, the things I complained about started to fall away, because I was more empowered, and saw the patterns holding me back. I learned that if you want to change your reality, you must….
3. Focus on What You Want. Stop complaining, fretting, and worrying about anything you don’t want. We tend to get overwhelmed when life feels messy, and focus on the mess. Instead, focus on the good. Focus on where you want to go. Focus on building good energy inside.
4. Pray. I am not religious, but I do believe in a Higher Power. It’s pointless to ascribe words to it, but I know it’s there. And I know this force loves each and every one of us eternally. When you pray, you connect yourself to this power, and align your life with this force of love. Having your mind focused on this loving source will heal your life.
The Outer Steps
Taking outer steps can speed things along. This can be scary and uncomfortable. This can feel like a pain in the ass. This can feel impossible. Do it anyway. If you do steps 1 through 4 long enough, you will eventually take the perfect steps anyway.
Nobody can tell you exactly what outer steps you need, because that’s unique for each person. But in general, you might start with some of these outer steps to get momentum in cleaning up your life.
- Clean your environment. Commit to a block of time this week and clean an area in your environment. I love cleaning out my cabinets and closets when I want to feel more open and free. Throwing things away and wiping down dusty surfaces is medicine for a cluttered mind and life.
- Clean up your relationships. Stop talking to people who drain you. Prioritize date night. Reach out to friends and family you miss. Make new friends with a local hobby group. Spend time with your pets.
- Let go of clutter. Toss everything in your environment you don’t use. It’s draining your energy and cluttering your life.
- Do that thing you’ve been putting off. You know the one…it’s the first thing that popped into your head just now
Your baby steps are yours and yours alone. The more you meditate, and pay attention to your inner world, the easier it’ll be to know which steps to take.
A cleaned up life isn’t about finally “getting it right”. It’s about doing what you know is best for you, and for those around you. When we live from that place, our entire world changes.
Love,
Brenda
