It was 9 am and I had two hours to organize the house and run to the store to get some snacks to serve a couple of friends who were coming over, all while trying to keep my two kids entertained and out of my way.
I stopped for a moment thinking which part of the house to do first. I chose to start with the living room; after all, that’s probably where we would be hanging out. I would then make my way to the bathrooms, and last the kitchen. I basically had one hour to get it all done before heading to the store.
I enlisted my 8-year-old to help me with small tasks while I tackled the bigger ones. I decided that I would skip the rooms and would just close the doors. That’s when I stopped and was hit with this awareness, “What areas of my life am I choosing to clean (focus on) and what areas am I not and why?
I was being given an opportunity to look at my life as a whole and truly spend some time looking at the rooms in which my soul and being reside. Why was I choosing certain rooms over others? It became clear that the rooms that were visible to others were getting more attention than the ones that were only visible to me.
I’m not a person who really cares about how beautiful I look on the outside. That’s not to say I don’t take care of myself, but I’m not usually out to impress with what brand I wear, if my hair and nails are done, or what kind of car I drive. The way I impress is usually how I’m inspiring others, how I’m being a contribution to the planet, and how I am connected spiritually to my higher self.
Although these are very altruistic ways of being, sometimes they can be superficial if they are not being applied to all areas of one’s life. I can’t claim to be inspiring others if at home I’m neglecting my children. I can’t claim to be a contribution to the planet if at home my relationships are falling apart. I can’t claim to be spiritually connected if at home I’m not taking care of the responsibilities that come with being a human.
So I decided to look at the rooms of my life and see where I had closed the doors so no one, including myself, could see the dirt and dust that had accumulated on the furniture of my life.
Who was I being around my finances? What needed to be cleaned in this room? What still worked and what wasn’t working that needed to be dumped in the trash?
Who was I being in my relationships with those closest to me? Was I inspiring and contributing to them as much as I had been with people I don’t even know that well? Was I expressing my needs and authenticity? Was I being an attentive mother?
Who was I being in my health both physical and mental? Was I taking care of my body in the way that honored it? Was I giving myself enough acknowledgment for my talents and gifts? Was I honoring the temple that housed my soul?
Who was I being in my business? That’s definitely a room I had to spend some time in as I had neglected this room for a while. Was I being a supportive partner to my business? Was I investing time in helping it succeed? Was I honoring my gifts and all that I had created in my business?
I knew I had to really take a look at each room. I had to open each door, walk into the room, and spend some time in there, being with the answers to my questions and asking more questions to create more expansion. I had to open the blinds and the windows and let some sun and fresh air in. I had to sweep the floors and dust the furniture.
It’s been a process that I keep resisting and finding excuses why I haven’t gone into the rooms yet. And as I make this public, I know that I’m supporting myself by having to create an accountability agreement with myself.
Sure, I can say I did it when I didn’t do it, but ultimately I’m the only person who will be missing out on creating the kind of life I say I desire.
Oh, wait, I’m not the only who will be missing out. Those I love will be missing out on having a great relationship with me because I’m keeping that door shut and not allowing them to come in. My clients will be missing out because I’m not willing to provide them with services that could really help them change their lives. My body will be missing out on being on top health because I’m not in tune with it. In the end, the house would eventually shrink with only a few rooms for me to enjoy when I could be enjoying the entire house.
So here I stand, broom and duster in hand, ready to PLEDGE the furniture of my soul and open the blinds and windows of my life and welcome the sun and fresh breeze.
Are you ready to take the PLEDGE to a better life, too?
Awesome! Here’s some tips on how you can get started ~
*Schedule a time to sit down to journal (15 minutes to an hour is good) – if you don’t actually schedule a time, you’re bound to find other things (distractions) to stop you from doing it. It’s just the way the mind/ego operates when it doesn’t want to do something that’s going to require going within.
*On your scheduled day have a pen and journal ready – you will want to write down insights or feelings that come up for you. When you write things down you diffuse the energy that’s stuck in your mind.
*Light a candle, say a prayer, and apply your favorite essential oil before you start – some of us enjoy the visual of doing a ceremony to honor the time with ourselves, and asking our higher self, God, the angels for support in helping us connect can give us the feeling that we’re not going at it alone. Essential oils can help open our senses so we can connect with our bodies more deeply.
*Be with whatever is coming up for you, even if it’s nothing – if you’re not used to doing this type of exercise, you may have a bit of resistance getting started, and your mind will try to convince you that it’s just not worth it and that you have other things to do (reason why the first point is important.) Be with it. Ask questions such as, “What would I like to see being created in the area of …?” “What’s working and what’s not working in this area?” Whatever is coming up, be with it. Breathe through it.
*At the end of your journaling, close with gratitude and take action - thank your higher self, God, angels, the universe for their support. Take advantage of the moment and schedule your next “date” with another room that needs your attention. It will help you stay engaged in your “house project” and on your way to an expanded “home” (life). Take one action toward the expansion of that area you just worked on.
Remember to ENJOY the process. This is not meant to create contraction, although you may experience some of that as you go through the cleaning process; it’s meant to create expansion and empowerment.
As for me, right after I finished typing this, I penciled in my calendar a date and time to have a cleaning date with myself. Time to go get my cleaning supplies and get started on my project!
Jacqueline VanCampen is the author of Letters to My Daughter: A Mother’s Journey of Healing and Transformation and Wise Heart Archetypes: The 7 levels of Awakening the Wisdom Within ebook. She is a Wise Heart Intuitive and transformational coach and messenger, spiritual teacher, and founder of Wise Heart Within, which was born from a deep desire to guide, inspire, and empower women to connect to their heart, where the gems of knowing and wisdom have always been present, but not always accessed. She inspires women to know their truth, connect to their hearts, and manifest their highest potential.