One of the positive side-effects of intentionally fasting or being purposeful about clean eating is a natural spill-over that activates a desire to restore order to the home environment as well. The Conscious Cleanse states, "You know what we mean, the spontaneous desire to finally wash your car, clean out the junk drawer, reorganize your closet, or to donate that growing pile of clothes you don't wear anymore." This clean-out bug hit me strong today coupled with the beautiful weather that makes spring cleaning feel like a necessity rather than a chore.
We took a trip to Florida in February which included a leisurely drive south visiting the kids at college and my brother and his family in St. Pete. In addition we traveled to Homestead, Florida to visit my dad and help him with some down-sizing, organizing, decluttering tasks. My siblings joined us in the process. Our primary goal was to sort through my mom's closets which were full of clothes she had acquired, both purchased or given to her over the nearly 45 years she had lived in this home. These beautiful clothes had overflowed from her closet into the 3 kids' closets as well. My sister, sister-in-law and I selected a few items but for the most part we donated a large amount to The Bargain Basket, one of my mom's favorite thrift stores. They were thrilled to receive the donation and there was something cathartic about releasing the items. Of course in sorting through the house we came across personal items including my authentic Hawaiian dress purchased on a family vacation in 3rd grade plus my South Dade High School Swimming letter jacket! We returned from Florida March 1st and these items have remained carelessly stashed in my laundry room until today!
"Clutter is the physical manifestation of unmade decisions fueled by procrastination." (Christina Scalise) Much like my dad, we definitely have our "catch-all" spaces that demand attention lest they begin to encroach not only on physical living space but also our mental space. Clutter, disorder, excess stuff can definitely weigh me down. Of course, there is always a choice and I have bins of kids' school work, medals, clothes and keepsakes that in addition to my Hawaiian dress and school jacket might one day need to be added to the discard pile. Until then, I at least hung up these items in our spare closet and restored order to the laundry room.
As far as Day 3 with ProLon, I observe more energy and focus, minimal hunger, and an overall sense of calm. Cleaning, washing windows, decluttering all contribute to my general satisfaction with the day. In addition I am nearly at 10,000 steps from leisurely walking outdoors today. Tomato soup and almond/kale crackers were lunch and while I would have welcomed a second bowl, again it wasn't because I was hungry but more from habit. If something tastes as delicious as their tomato soup I generally desire a second helping! In this case ProLon offers you a serving size of one! In The Conscious Cleanse the authors pair their 14 days of healthy eating with specific tasks like a day of gratitude, a day of self-care and pampering, a day of experimenting with green drinks and also a day of cleaning. I referenced the book for inspiration today as it's never just about food. In some cases, as I alluded to in prior posts, eating and snacking was a method of procrastination to avoid the tasks, the chores, the person, or the 3rd grade Hawaiian dress that needed a home.
"Believe it or not, the way you manage your stuff is the same way you likely manage your not so pleasant emotions. You toss them asisde, stuff them with food, and avoid them at all costs. Take some small steps toward detoxing your external environment. If you're overwhelmed, just choose one place to start. Remember, nothing happens all at once. One step today, one step tomorrow. Just like the cleanse. When our stuff is clean and organized, our thoughts are clear and focused. And when our thoughts are clear and focused, our emotions are real and authentic. The net result is a better, more balanced, fulfilling life." (Schaalman and Pelaez, Conscious Cleanse)
P.S. 2 extra tips: For dinner I added 2 cups of water to the minestrone soup rather than 1 1/4 cups. I added curry, turmeric, and cayenne pepper for a little extra flavoring. This satisfied my mental desire for 2 servings leaving me feeling satieted.
I also tuned into Netflix and Get Organized with the Home Edit. This show gives me Tidying Up with Marie Kondo vibes and was the extra inspiration I needed for spring cleaning and decluttering.
"Believe it or not, the way you manage your stuff is the same way you likely manage your not so pleasant emotions. You toss them asisde, stuff them with food, and avoid them at all costs. Take some small steps toward detoxing your external environment. If you're overwhelmed, just choose one place to start. Remember, nothing happens all at once. One step today, one step tomorrow. Just like the cleanse. When our stuff is clean and organized, our thoughts are clear and focused. And when our thoughts are clear and focused, our emotions are real and authentic. The net result is a better, more balanced, fulfilling life." (Schaalman and Pelaez, Conscious Cleanse)
P.S. 2 extra tips: For dinner I added 2 cups of water to the minestrone soup rather than 1 1/4 cups. I added curry, turmeric, and cayenne pepper for a little extra flavoring. This satisfied my mental desire for 2 servings leaving me feeling satieted.
I also tuned into Netflix and Get Organized with the Home Edit. This show gives me Tidying Up with Marie Kondo vibes and was the extra inspiration I needed for spring cleaning and decluttering.