Spring Cleaning for My Soul...And Yours, too!

This past Sunday was officially the first day of Spring. Since I can look out my window and see a sliver of sunlight, I guess it must be true.

The thing that most people (the civilized ones, anyway) associate with this wonderful season is: cleaning. As in, Spring Cleaning. Yes, that beautiful act of cracking open windows that have been sealed against the winter's brutal cold, relishing in the fresh (if a tad bit too crisp, yet) air while wielding dusting supplies and grand ideas about reorganizing and simplifying their home. I am not immune to this wonder even considering my love-hate relationship with housework. It's just so satisfying knowing that your house is clean. Like, ridiculously clean.

As someone who values the connection between my mind and my physical health, in the last few years I've also made a habit of cleaning out the cobwebs in my emotional and mental homes. Spring cleaning for your soul is just as important as re-alphabetizing your DVD's. (What?! You don't do that?? Craziness, I tell you!)

Clearing out the clutter, throwing away the drama and breathing in that fresh air is vitally important to staying sane. Each day we plug into our friends, co-workers and acquaintances via Facebook, Twitter, Myspace or texting. And each day we take in their drama, stress and garbage.

Take a minute or two and think about it. You log in to check your messages and instantly you're flooded with "trash". Joe Blow has done such-and-such thing to so-and-so and aren't we all just so very pissed at him? Jane Doe is having a crumby day and her world is falling apart and can't we feel sorry for her? Your fourth cousin twice removed is mad at his ex for this and that and wants the world to know it.

Without thinking, we take this all in, digest it and file it into our little Rolodex minds while letting the emotions attached swirl around us. And how many of these people that are affecting us are necessary in our lives? One out of every five, maybe. Unnecessary, and yet, their drama has just become part of our mood.

So how do we fix this, you ask?

Spring Cleaning.

Take five minutes and clear out the "friends" on your social networking sites that aren't necessary for one reason or another. If it's that one girl you worked with three years ago that you don't ever socialize with, you can probably delete her. And if it's someone that you can't delete (maybe it's a relative or someone that would take it personally and cause more drama than it's worth), most sites have a way for you to modify your news feed so that certain people's updates don't flood your screen.

Sometimes it's a little tougher than that, though. Take the "friend" who only calls or texts when they have a crisis. That's when you have to make a decision. Do you keep forsaking your mental well-being just to be a good friend...or do you stand up for yourself and put up some boundaries with this person?

I'm sorry if I'm coming off as preachy today, it's not my intent. I've just got this topic on the brain and felt that it was my duty to share with you all. After a relaxing weekend at the beach with the boyfriend, I've breathed the fresh air and I'm ready to get to cleaning...both physically and mentally. The clutter has got to go or my sanity will instead, I know this about myself. So for those out there that are like me, this has been my advice to you.

And on that lovely note, I'm off to do my cleaning. Toodles!

From beyond the padded cell...

"Look, here she comes now. Bow down and stare in wonder..."

Okay, just kidding. You don't really have to bow down. Simply kneeling will suffice :)

I know I've been away for a bit, but I did warn you all.

These last few weeks have been great, terrible, overwhelming and all sorts of craziness. I hardly know where to begin. I will say that without the boyfriend and some pretty stellar friends, I would have been carted off to a padded cell in the pretty jacket with no arms.

Instead, I'm home...rocking the baggy sweats and one of the boyfriend's t-shirts. Yeah, I'm one of those girls.

I don't really feel like re-hashing the last few weeks since I'm already emotionally spent...and it's barely noon. Although, I will share that while helping the boyfriend sort through some totes in storage, I had an AMAZING laugh session last night. A simple summary? Capricorns like to keep underwear in hat boxes.

**You're jealous of my life right now, aren't you?

***Also, just a side note, the boyfriend is a Leo and no, it wasn't his underwear. I'd rather he not get a bad rep because of my blogging. I still have to go to sleep with this man. I'd like him to actually WANT to cuddle with me tonight.

So anywho, life has been nuts and blah, blah, blah. Tonight will be my third meeting of the book club I created as part of my New Year's resolution. I'm loving it, even if our numbers could use a few additions. Tonight we'll be having a St. Patty's Day themed get-together. I'm making shamrocks later to take along for a little game and we'll have some green cookies and some yummy coffee and hopefully a great convo. I'll be giving away a book and yeah, it'll be good to decompress a bit.

This weekend the boyfriend and I will finally be getting our little disappearing act accomplished. If I have to hog-tie him and officially kidnap him, it will happen. The poor man is so over-worked and overwhelmed that if he doesn't decompress, he might just shut down. It scares me some days, that look on his face that says, "I just can't take anymore." I guess that's the hard part about loving somebody. Knowing they're hurting and not having any way to take that hurt away.

Case in point, someone I love dearly has suffered and there's not a thing I can do for them. I know they're hurting and all I can do is offer to listen. It seems so insufficient, so lacking. But you can't force yourself into some one's grief and so I'll stand here, waiting. Even though all I want to do is envelope them in a bear hug of love and never let go.

**This person knows who they are, and if they're reading this...CALL ME! I love you.

Ugh..and now that I've purged and whined and feel no better, I'm off to finish the hoards of laundry that continue to congregate no matter how often or how much I accomplish each day.

In closing, yes, I have missed my writing terribly and am glad to once again have time to write, if not always the ideas to write about. I can't promise that I'll be back tomorrow, but I can promise that you'll hear from me again soon.

Toodles, my dears. Tell those you love how much you love them.