Making Room For Something New

Do you ever do a 'spring clean'? If you do is it just in your home or do you transfer it to your mind, body and spirit as well?
It's a tough and complicated gig to be a human being (at least it seems to be for this human being!) and while I do try on many levels to live a spiritually fulfilled life, I realise that for me that often means more about how I am with others than what I do for myself. I try, in all areas of my life to catch myself in judgement and release it, to take responsibility for my actions and interactions with others and own my 'stuff' if I don't like something that is going on in the relationship and generally try to be a 'good' person whatever that means on the day. BUT even just as I sit here typing, and thought this blog post was going to be about one thing, I realise that is completely about another!
Let me try and explain....
I LOVE to declutter the house. To have a good throw out and clear the space to release the old and create opportunities for the new. Any time I feel a bit stuck, I start with the house, the wardrobe, the kids rooms - yesterday it was the linen cupboard! I seem to have almost developed a phobia around hoarding that pushes me to constantly purge the house of anything that is not used or useful or even may be of more use or more in need by others. I find that this is a way for me to make the statement that I am making way for something new, that I am releasing so that there will be space for whatever it is that needs to come next. All well and good BUT I realise that there is a personal level that needs a 'spring clean' and that for me is the physical AND the spiritual and it seems about time I took more responsibility for my 'self' hmmmmmmm
On the physical level I am certainly someone who tries as much as possible to have a healthy diet, do a LOT of exercise and I am guilty of having a very strong dislike of my physical appearance ( I think that is a common complaint for most women especially). It has been a life long 'battle' and one that has never lead me to find peace with my appearance no matter what my size or weight and it occurs to me that it is time for a spring clean of perhaps my perception rather than my current regime. And THAT would also become a spiritual spring clean! I realise that there has never been a time in my life that I have been able to look at my reflection and say "I like you, great job" and I also realise that I don't even know what would bring that feeling - for all of my complaints and wishing for a different body, money for plastic surgery etc I don't actually know what the  'perfect me' would look like so in essence I am aiming for something that doesn't actually exist how silly is that?!
So, with this great insight now in my mind, I have decided to create the opportunity for a 'spring clean of the soul', my intention for today, let's make it at least the next week, is to go within the dark confines of my mind and spirit and clean out those old ideas, those negative patterns, set them free and throw them out the same way I would clear my external house and perhaps in my internal home re-open some long ago locked doors that bare the names "self-worth", "self-care" and "self-acceptance" the challenge is set let's see how I go.....

Second Chances....

Do you believe in second chances?  Either for yourself or others....
Have you ever made a rash decision and done or said something that you regret and wish for your time over? Or have you felt hurt by the actions or words - or lack of actions or words of another and decided to turn away? Or are you someone that will simply turn away and strike others for life if you deem that they have wronged you???
For  most of my life I have been a definite 'people pleaser'. I really truly like people and I really truly like people to like me, I was brought up very strongly to 'do the right thing' by others and along the journey have developed spiritual beliefs that make me always try and see my part in any altercation, try to live a life of forgiveness and acceptance of others....
Sounds nice doesn't it?!
What I am beginning to realise is that while I may like to try and live my life by all of these values, there are many, many people in the world - indeed in MY world that do not travel the same pathways, do not have the same personality type and do not view the world through my eyes or via my experiences and that my friends is where things become unstuck! The past year or so has been a very strong journey of discovery for me, about me - I have learned how much I was valuing the worth of others above my own, I have learned to what degree I have enabled others behaviours under the guise of being a good friend (not knowingly and with the best of intentions but it doesn't change the fact that it is not helpful to anyones growth) and I have been reminded that we all perceive life from our own experiences, hangups and issues and that perception  is our own version of reality which means that everyone we interact with is filtering from THEIR version of reality and that can lead to a whole lot of misunderstanding!
Another realisation I have had is how little I share about how I truly feel when something has upset me hmmmm theres that pesky worthiness issues again!
Back to second chances - Everyone has their own experiences and perceptions and reasons they make decisions about cutting ties etc with others and for me it is kind of a case by case basis but for now I am grateful for the growth lesson that came about from this experience both for myself and a friendship that I thought was gone and although it doesn't always work out this way, today I am grateful for second chances.
Is there anyone in your life that deserves a second chance?