Great Release Challenge – Day 30 — Sunday by Silver RavenWolf copyright 2012
Part of the purpose of the Great Release Challenge is to help you work through issues by combining organization and creativity. One of the hardest parts of the program for me, is finding where to put the stuff. Having lived with a hoarder for many years, I can totally understand the frustration of trying to organize something that, on the surface, looks impossible while at the same time, you are battling the inner demons that created the mess in the first place. You feel defeated before you even begin. It literally took us years to unload, bit by bit, trash bag by trash bag, dumpster load by dumpster load. My husband and I know all too well how lots of stuff can hide serious structural problems in the environment. A small leak turns into a rotted floor. Too much weight in an unsupported area can damage an entire room. When all the junk was removed we realized the horrendous amount of money it would take to make all the necessary repairs. Depression, sickness and chronic illness can also play havoc with your organization skills and abilities, sapping your inner strength to where you may feel you can never emerge from the chaos…
But, you can.
You may have begun this program with a horrendous amount of clutter and junk, or you might have begun with a bit of a mess; but nothing too earth shaking. Regardless of your situation, the program is designed to help you get motivated and combine body, mind, and spirit to accomplish your desires so that throughout the new year, you now have the necessary tools to keep working toward your goals. Many folks who have worked through the winter program in years past developed their own summer program that includes more outdoor functions. You can do that, too!
In our last two days, we’re working on either something on your Wish List, or an area of the home, apartment, or office, that you haven’t touched due to the busy holidays in combination with all the other projects we’ve been completing. This may be the area where you dumped everything that didn’t belong where you were working, and were just too busy to come up with a storage solution. If you don’t have an area like this – that’s fine. For you, I’d like you to walk through your living area and determine which places seem to naturally gather clutter. You will work on solutions for those places.
For me, my area will be the craft/office room. As I mentioned in other posts, I’ve been chipping away at this room for the past thirty days. I’ve done fairly well. When we first moved here in the fall, everything that didn’t have a place, was dumped in this room. Argh! There were many days that I only removed one or two things from this room. Other days, I managed to get rid of entire boxes of stuff. Hobbies, I’ve noticed, have a tendency to expand, creeping through the entire house if you are not careful. Sort of like a loveable blob.
I did begin the practice of putting my hobby materials away after every session, relegating their placement only to this room by the time the day was done, regardless of what I’d been doing. With the help of my daughter, all storage vehicles are now labeled, which helps when I flip from one type of project to another. Eventually, I will have the room under control!
I was finally able to arrange the shelving units!
This year, I learned that whenever I become frustrated with just about anything, to take the time to do a three-minute speed cleansing. I’ll light a white candle and carry it around the room I’m working in, or I’ll use the jingle jar, a rattle, or bless water and place the cup, glass or bowl in the center of the room. I’ve discovered that this small practice depletes my negativity and helps me keep moving forward. Give it a try yourself! You’ll see an amazing difference right away. If you have an unfinished project that has been molding over there in the corner, drag it out, move it to a different location, clean the area where it was sitting, and then cleanse the item with blessed water or sweet sound. This will help to instill renewed interest in the project. If, in thirty days, you haven’t finished that project, there is probably some emotional issue attached to it. Be honest with yourself and figure out why you have not moved forward. “I don’t have the time,” is not a good excuse. If you really wanted to finish (for real) you would have made the time. Why didn’t you? Honor your answer.
Summary:
(1) Do your Morning Braucherei Ritual and light your goal candle.
(2) Do Today’s Challenge.
(3) Practice your Sea of Potential Exercise
(4) Try a three-minute-speed cleansing when you are frustrated on angry.
(5) Get ready for tomorrow!
Tomorrow: Closing
Give yourself One Gold Star if you remembered to do your morning ritual. Two gold stars if you completed today’s challenge. Three gold stars if you did a speed cleansing exercise. Four gold stars if you deep cleaned anything. Five gold stars if you actually remembered to reward yourself during this program.
Peace with the Gods Peace with Nature Peace Within.
Silver