Finding Your Center - Under the Clutter.

“Life is as simple or complicated as we make it.” Donna Smallin

The most amazing part of finding your center is the sense of peace and freedom it brings. 

But it's hard to see the center of anything if it's covered by a bunch of stuff. It's like losing your favorite pair of shoes in a overfilled closet. Unless you are actually convinced you need those shoes, sometimes you just have to wear another pair. They are not the same, but you live with them rather than take the time to clean out that space.

The most distracting and debilitating cluttered space is in our heads.

You know the feeling. You're driving on autopilot to work. Forgetting important dates. Leaving the water running or the stove on. Stumbling over words, unable to make a point.

My mental clutter pulls me off center, disrupting my balance. It makes me just want to throw my hands up and flop down.

It's one thing to know you have to clean a closet. But how do you begin to explain away the clutter you can’t see?

If you are finding it hard to feel centered and balanced today, then there's a good likelihood you need to do some decluttering in your mind. This decision requires us to become intentional on where we place our attention and how we spend our time and energy.

Actions speak louder than words my friends. 

Here are a few action-oriented decisions you can make that will be like a vacuum cleaner in your mind:

-Spend five minutes every day to note at least five things you’re grateful for. Some ideas: time with a friend, an award at school, your seatbelt, your breath, the colors in the park, and even the nourishing beauty of a rainy day.

-Allow yourself to zone out. Even if it's only for 5 minutes. Take time to rest your mind every day. Let your mind shut off from having to process, apply, or interpret information. Let the breath come and go naturally, and the eyes roam wherever they want. Watch the clouds, the trees sway, the stars sparkle.

-Do something kind for another person. Make it a point every day to be kind with your actions, your words, and especially your thoughts. If you don’t feel genuinely moved to lend a helping hand or pass along a compliment, just smile instead.

-Replace worry with prayer or meditation. Those fears and negative thoughts are doing nothing to assist you or the situation. In fact, it's depleting our energies and abilities. Regardless of your state of faith, see each concern as being given up to a higher power. That simple action can help you to see yourself as a part of the solution, already in process.

Life’s full of surprises. Life’s unpredictable course is our opportunity to meet surprises with acceptance and grace. 

To find our center in the midst of any challenge.

Having an open mind is good. Just not so open it's cluttered.

Cheers.