Parisian Phoenix Publishing

On actual New Year’s Eve, I felt compelled to tackle a project that has stricken darkness into my soul for months. I cleaned my bedroom closet. That closet had me stuck. I wasn’t putting my clean laundry away as diligently as I should and I had started stuffing things in random places to the point where I could not step into the closet. This is a problem, especially since I do not have any sort of bureau or dresser in my room. All my clothes, even my underpants, are in my closet.

The act of cleaning my closet took a couple hours, but it wasn’t hard because I still keep the same old things in my closet. Clothes, blankets, sheets, jewelry, scarves and books. I found some old shoes in there, which were once upon a time “good shoes” and most of them had dry-rotted or got so covered in dust and grime that I don’t know if I can revive them. It felt good to empty that closet, even better to vacuum it, and what better way to reflect on the past than to sort through its physical presence in your current life. And, just like the closet, the past (in the emotional sense) can get obtrusive and disorganized if you let it.

Many people consider cleaning an act of spring, but I’m now convinced it’s an easy way to set priorities for the new year and to reconcile oneself with the past. And speaking of reconciling…

I would also recommend taking 15 minutes to a half hour and reviewing your finances. If you’re not in the habit of doing this regularly, or if you’re sloppy about budgeting, just open all the bank accounts and credit cards and your physical wallet. Review your spending. Double-check your assets. Make sure your recollection of your habits and the reality of them match.

Even if finances make you sweat, acknowledge them now and if you see problems, do some brainstorming and set some goals for realistic ways to if not get out of any sticky situations to at least address them so they don’t linger in your head.