Martha Ruske, MFT
Recovery Life Coaching

INTENTIONAL PATH

A semi-monthly newsletter for people in long-term recovery who want to step out into the fuller life they deserve.

From Martha Ruske, MFT
June 9, 2005 issue

Word count for this issue:  684 (25 paragraphs)
Approximate time to read:  about 3 ½ minutes

IS YOUR OUTSIDE AS DISORGANIZED AS YOUR INSIDE?

Over the Memorial Day weekend I started cleaning up my garden area a bit, pulling weeds, taking tarps off the lawn furniture.  I began to think about the constant work involved in maintaining a house, keeping it clean, in good repair, uncluttered. UNCLUTTERED! 

I know very few people who don’t complain about the clutter in their lives.  Most people see it as a “labor of Sisyphus,” where you make a supreme effort to get your stuff organized, only to be confronted with the same problem again and again.  A few people go to the other extreme – houses so clean and neat (sterile?) that you could probably serve dinner off the floor with no ill effects. 

Why are we confronted with clutter and too much stuff?  There are lots of logical reasons: the low price of consumer goods enables us to buy many more things; the inability to get things repaired leaves us with fairly new objects that we’re reluctant to throw away; advertising encourages us to buy more and more; some homes lack adequate storage; inherited family heirlooms or special collections need their space; some people stockpile for emergencies or buy in quantity at box stores.

Those reasons all sounded really good, but they’re missing the point.  And what does this have to do with recovery, anyway?  Clutter is stagnant energy that causes tiredness and lethargy.  It doesn’t leave room for new things to come into your life and you feel bogged down.  It can keep you feeling unfocused and aid in helping you put things off until tomorrow.  It can make you feel ashamed, or depressed.  It can distract you from what is truly important, and prevent you from ever getting out of the starting gate on projects.

Here’s a question to ask yourself:

“If my environment is a reflection of what’s going on in my life and inside of me, what is it saying?”

Is it saying, for example, that your attention is scattered and you are unable to focus on any one thing?  That you are clinging to old ways of doing things and are unable to get out of a rut?  That you don’t feel worthy of living in a clean, well-functioning home?  Do you acquire things out of a feeling of scarcity, or use shopping as a way to relieve anxiety?

I remember how shocked I was, in early recovery, when I was finally getting my act together and I looked at my apartment.  I had unpaid bills, unanswered letters, work that should have done but I had never completed.  My environment accurately reflected the chaos that was inside of me.  Alcoholism has been described as “ritualized stuckness.”  Is this the type of energy you want to keep with you in your long-term recovery?

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Call to Action:

How is your environment reflecting your inner world?

Have you been putting things off or feeling stuck?  Need some help getting a focus or taking a first step?

If you’re new to the idea of coaching - but curious – honor that curiosity and contact me. Take advantage of a free 45-minute coaching session available to readers of this newsletter.  Send a note and tell me what you’d like some help with: click here 

This is a no-strings offer.  You’d be helping me out by giving me additional insight into what issues are confronting those of us in longer-term recovery.

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Here are some practical steps for your clutter, in the “one day at a time” mode:

  1. Make your bed when you get up
  2. Put things away as you use them
  3. Wash all dishes before going to bed
  4. Declutter one thing per day (no matter how small)

I like giving you book recommendations, so here’s one: Clear your clutter with Feng Shui, by Karen Kingston.  You can link to a description here:
http://www.intentionalpath.com/bookstore.htm

If you have friends or family in long-term recovery who could benefit from this newsletter, or the free 41-page "Befriending Yourself" workbook, please send them this link so they can sign up for their own complimentary copies:
http://www.intentionalpath.com/workbook.htm

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Copyright by Martha Ruske, MFT

This newsletter can be freely distributed or forwarded to others without special permission provided it is used for nonprofit purposes and full attribution and copyright notice are given.

Also, you may use my articles in your own e-zine or website. Please credit any excerpts to Martha Ruske, MFT and the “Intentional Path” website at:
www.intentionalpath.com.