Spring Has Sprung- Time to Take Stock

Jefferson Monument, 2010

With Spring's final arrival this weekend, it's time to take stock of what we have accumulated throught out this winter, and what we can be rid of. This goes for not only "Stuff" we continue to collect that brings clutter and more clutter, but also the emotional stuff we "Thought" we would give our attention to during wintertime, but find, we still have issues with.

Nature shows us that inevitably, the change of the seasons, and arrives exactly when it knows how to..  We should take some lessons from the Equinox arrival and spring's planting and warming trend.




Jefferson Monument, Historical Archive Photograph. Undated

 
A few steps to help us Take Stock is to recognize some area's ( I prefer three) that need help. Identify them, create a plan and get started- no time like the present, and it is SPRING cleaning after all- and more than your house could use some help I'm sure!

1) Take Stock of our Food Supply - yes, of what we have collected in our food pantry/closet/ freezer/stash. These are accumulated purchases at the BIG Clubs, like Sam's Club, Costco, Walgreens, Walmart, etc; various grocery stores and the 2 for 1 items great buys. If we haven't used them by now, give yourself one week to use them or toss them. Gather together items by likeness, and look at expiration dates- discarding expired goods and the having 2 of the same thing with both items often opened. Purge the excess. Too much is excessive. Get rid of the extra special items that never made their way into the Bon Apetit or Cuisine dish you planned to make during winter SOMEDAY. If it's been in there all wintertime, and you haven't gotten the inspiration to create it by now, trash it. If the goods are still within expiration dating; donate them. Plenting of school kids come around during the season to put a grocery bag full of items to go out the door.

2) Take Stock - yes, of our Material Possessions- yes, of what we have collected in our clothing closets- and dresser drawers- and other safe keeping items. The old saying, if you haven't worn it for an entire year's of seasonal change of clothes, you probably won't. AND for goodness sake- get rid of clothes that do not fit! Gather them together by size run, color, and grouping- which also includes SHOES. Find a local donation center or your favorite charity to which you can bring your items to. Prior to such;  have your girl friends come over and choose what "THEY" might like first, then donate. It's a wonderful feeling to give something new life to those in need and are deserving. DO not forget to pack up any old blankets, pillows, afghans, sheets and donate them too to your ASPCA or animal shelter. A Pet in Waiting for adoption, requires additional TLC which also includes their own warm fuzzy thing. Just because they don't speak human -ease; doesn't mean they do not need the same love as us mere humans do.! Spring speaks of  re-birth, re-gifting, re-using. 

3) Take Stock - yes, of our Emotional mind-set which may be cluttered with  cobwebs/complaints. Any issues that come to the forefront of your mind that are "problematic", may require more than a passive state of when I get around to it, I will Fix Xy and Z. This also includes the diet you started in January, which has lost it's steam sometime mid February. Learn to become pro-active instead of re-active with problems and concerns still on the burners of your emotional pantry.  Now, mind you- don't start on all the issues at once; you will crash and burn immediately doing such. Sit down- create a list of importance, and choose one to work on; for a week, a month, whatever time frame you give yourself.  Make sure you determine a commitable start and finish, a deadline, with discipline. Otherwise, you'll still have cobwebs and ghosts around for a long time. Worry is a debt that is never re-paid. So make a plan, choose the "issue"; and commence. The key to a successful problem resolution, is of course to identify it, own it and create ways to change it for your own emotional well being. And forget about your expectations of how "others" are suppose to be, or should have been. Expect of yourself with this emotional taking stock, and don't expect miracles from anyone else. Since, by the way, They are your ISSUES, your PROBLEMS, you own them, not anyone else. Stand up; take strength in knowing; you are doing something about SOMETHING that worries you!

Spring Time is time to take Stock, and to look forward to starting yet again new, and fresh, like a spring chicken!  Namaste.