1. College textbooks
2. Shoes that pinch
3. Mateless socks
4. People who pinch
5. Those little pencils from miniature golf
6. Beliefs that “pinch” your ability to be joyful
7. Anything you haven’t worn in five years
8. The idea that you’re not worth it
9. Those samples that came in the makeup bag you got when you bought your eye cream two years ago
10. The list of “have to’s” you’ve been carrying around in your head
11. Telephone books
12. The idea that it’s not okay to make a mistake
13. Chopsticks from the takeout place
14. Judgment of others
15. Cassettes and LP’s you can’t play because you don’t have the equipment
16. The idea that you’re old, fat, thin, ugly or anything less than perfect
17. Ratty clothes you think you’ll wear next time you paint your home
18. Mascara that’s more than a year old
19. Any book that doesn’t feel like a dear friend
20. Lid-less plastic ware
21. Dried flower wreaths
22. Old plastic flower pots
23. Any idea, person or thing that doesn’t delight you or bring you peace.

And, if you need more inspiration, read Stephanie Rosenbloom’s article in the New York Times:  “But Will It Make You Happy?“

Clean mind/thinking – I had the opportunity to clear up my thinking when I received an invitation to join AARP this week. Here’s what the “dirty” thinking looked like: “WHAT?! I’m not old! I’m not retired! I’m not even 50 yet (although I will be later this year)!  Who the heck are these people, lumping me into a group of old (drab) farts?!”

And here’s how I cleaned that up: I realized that I was making the invite mean something other than what it was: a card in the mail. That’s all. Just a bunch of paper and words. I changed my thinking to “I’m a colorful person who’s going places, and if I decide to join AARP, it’ll be for the hotel and car rental discounts!”

Clean body – I’ve been unhappy with my weight, and more importantly, my lack of energy lately. Relying way too much on sugar for pick-me-ups, I was crashing at all the wrong times.  To clean up that pattern, I’m in the midst of a 21-day detox/cleanse, working with nutritionist Alison Held.  I’ve given up sugar, caffeine, wheat, dairy and alcohol. Two healthy meals with no beige food, a nutrient-packed shake, healthy snacks and a lot of water, exercise and self-care are clearing away bad habits and the gunk from my body. It’s the jump-start I needed to get re-energized and focused.

Clean home – I reached into my closet for a blouse and the pole fell off the wall, resulting in a huge heap o’ clothes on the floor. Interesting, how the stuff in the back fell to the top of the pile, forcing me to look at things I hadn’t worn in years. I resisted the urge to just close the doors and called my mom instead. She helped fill five Hefty bags with castoffs. I never realized how much beige lived in my closet. Look at my beautiful, colorful closet now!

Clean relationships - I’ve also been working on the relationships in my life, asking myself how I can be loving, positive and supportive of those who are important to me.  Being honest with myself first about what I realistically have to offer others has helped me focus on those who matter (quality = colorful, interesting people) rather than spreading myself too thin and resulting in superficial acquaintances (quantity = beige, cocktail chatter only).  The circle of friends is smaller but much more enriching.

Since I started my “ban the beige” campaign, I’ve lost 4 lbs., gotten a new client, received unexpected checks in the mail, gotten a new speaking engagement, lost my sugar cravings and slept better. Would those things have happened if I hadn’t created some space and clarity? Maybe, but the peace and inspiration that come with a clean mind, body, home and relationships alone is worth working for. The abundance is just gravy.

Is clutter in your thinking,  home, body or relationships preventing growth?  Where can you “ban the beige” in your life?

People, this is a big deal for me. I’m a sugar and carb addict. Give me anything sweet and I’m your pal for life.   But I’m also feeling a need to go deeper, getting to the root of why I’m holding onto weight and why I’m turning to sugar too often.  The cleanse is a way for me to start anew, with a body that’s been detoxed and taught how to live without the bad stuff.

Meanwhile, I’ll work on cleaning my thoughts up, too.  The combination should be very effective!

“Now let me get this straight, Christina: You want things that you don’t yet have, people in your life who you don’t yet know, and events to take place that haven’t yet occurred, so that once these “things” come to pass you’ll feel happy, confident, and fulfilled; accomplished, desired, and appreciated; treasured, adored, and like one bad mamma jama, a beautiful sight to see?

But… wasn’t that your rationale for all the other stuff you wanted, that you now have?

Whooohoooooooo!
The Universe”

It got me thinking about how much space in my home is devoted to things that I no longer love or need, and how much of my energy is devoted to physical and mental clutter.  Here’s an example:

During my corporate days, a friend suggested I buy a cheesy souvenir on my first business trip.  I dutifully brought back a scary-looking alligator for my friend.  He said to keep it and watch what unfolded.  I laughed every time I looked at it.  My colleagues and I added to the collection, outdoing one another to find the ugliest.  Eventually, I had 200.  After leaving the company in ’98 they went into boxes, stored in my closet.

Snow globes still sit in my home.  Only 30 or so remain, but that’s enough to make me realize I’ve got a problem.  I like to think of it as a focusing problem, as in the “I cannot focus on this task long enough to really make a dent, so I won’t bother at all” problem.  Or the “I’m cleaning out the snow globes, but over there in the kitchen, the spice rack really needs sorting” problem.  Can you relate?  Since I’m on the same journey as many of you, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned:

Don’t Try this at Home

• “I will devote an entire day to this task.“  Waaaay to big a chunk of time, and never going to happen.  That kind of thinking kept 200 globes in my house until 2007.
• “I’ll sell this on eBay and make a killing off the snow globe collectors’ community.“  While this might be good for some items, it’s important to weigh the effort you’ll likely spend to dispose of it, versus the money you’ll get.

What’s Working for Me

• The Do I Absolutely Love This or Do I Absolutely Need This in Order to Get Through The Day? Test – Do I love ‘em?  Sure.  Need ‘em?  Not so much.
• Take pictures of them to store on your computer.  It’s not the actual object we need in order to recall fond memories.
• Five minutes at a time – I set a timer and spent five minutes a day for a week, cleaning out papers from my office.  The pile got a lot smaller.
• One item at a time – My rule is to throw away one item from whatever room I enter, closet or cabinet I open, every time I do so.  Old mascara, spices, mate-less socks, books that don’t feel like old friends, outdated contact info, etc. have been tossed.  Every time I come up with one thing, I feel a little twinge of victory!

What’s This Got to Do With Making What’s Next What Matters? Everything, my friends.  Absolutely everything.  If we hold onto old things, thoughts, relationships, jobs or anything else that’s passed the expiration date of necessity and joy in our lives, we’re not creating room for new and better opportunities.

That said, I draw the line at tossing my smile on a stick and my blue sparkly tiara.  After all, a girl’s gotta have some fun!