Many people look at fall as an end to summer rather than a the beginning of winter. We see leaves dropping from trees, days getting shorter, and feel the chill in the air. But while fall is the end of the playful summer season, it is also signaling that soon we will be at the beginning of a brand new year. And what better time to begin an intensive cleaning project than before diving into the new year?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to start off the new year with less stress and tension in your life? It can be done if you are ready to start the cleaning process right now. Start with removing all of the negative people from your life. These are the ones who never see the potential for good in any situation. They almost seem to be looking for trouble and delivering it to your door. When you end these relationships, you will undoubtedly feel as if a massive weight has been lifted from your shoulders.
Next, eliminate all of the people whom you feel are taking advantage of you, who don’t reciprocate your friendship and caring, and who only take but never offer you anything in return. Life is challenging and draining enough without having people who only sap your energy but never offer you inspiration, motivation, or kindness.
Finally, not only do you need to close the door on these draining relationships, but you also need to lock that door. In today’s world of social media, emails, and total connectivity, it is easy to remain distantly connected to the people, groups, and organizations which were causing you pain and misery. But sadly, when you do this, you are only hurting yourself. It might be a hidden desire to see karma swoop in and deliver what these people really deserve, but that is not productive for you and your healing process. Your goal should not be to see justice in the act but to evolve to the point of indifference. The people who have mistreated you do not deserve your time or concern. Your greatest reprisal is to move forward happily and never look back.
Fall cleaning is the perfect gift to yourself this holiday season. Look at your relationships and determine which ones deserve your time and effort and which ones are doing you nothing but harm. Eliminate the harmful and even toxic relationships just as you would the harmful and toxic germs in your home. While this might sound like a simple process, be prepared for some effort and soul searching to make these sometimes difficult decisions. But know that the reward is waiting for you, as you prepare to ring in the New Year with more gratitude, happiness, and tranquility than you imagined possible.
Very good advice, Kathy. I periodically get e-mails telling me why we should never unfriend someone from FaceBook. I think there are times when we need to do this with toxic people. By remaining “friends” on social media it looks as though we agree with them and count them as part of our social circle. This can bring negative consequences to us and to others who are watching us. I agree that we do need to be free from parasitic and toxic relationships so we can move forward without feeling like we have a yoke around our necks.
God bless you.