A Life Cleanse

“I need a life cleanse.”

My sister’s words caught my attention. Our discussion had begun with the topic of juice cleanses to eliminate body toxins, and then we’d moved on to removing obstacles to our creativity. Both of us had found ourselves drowning in a sea of requests, events, and requirements.

We’d complained about the accumulated clutter in our art rooms, homes, and classrooms. So our conversation had transformed into a “Let’s do something about this,” mode when Gina sighed and said, “I need a life cleanse.”

I’ve thought about her words ever since because her expression provided me with a name for my recent life theme of cleaning out:

Body Cleanse

I’ve started to transform the way I eat. Part of this new nutritional plan includes body cleanses, plant-based protein powder, and healthy eating. This is a difficult cleanse for me to do because I’m from an Italian family that enjoys our pasta, desserts, and indulgences.

House Cleanse

My husband and I are going through one section of our home every weekend to purge possessions. We recently tackled the garage and now every time I walk in there, I feel a sense of openness and freedom. My only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner. I’ve also cleaned out my closet and dresser, our shed, and my kitchen cupboards. What a liberating feeling a house cleanse can give you.

Career Cleanse

After twelve years in the classroom, I applied for a position as a Middle School Instructional Specialist. I’ve taught professional development courses before and felt like it was time to transition into assisting teachers full time. So after I got the job, I stayed after school every day for two weeks to sort and sift through twelve years of teaching materials. I’ve thrown away, given away, and packed up more paraphernalia than I could have ever conceived possible.

Time Cleanse

Of all these cleanses, the time cleanse is by far the most challenging. I’ve had to analyze family, friend, and career requests in order to prioritize. Each one of these categories is difficult to be subjective about because they form an important part of who I am. When I decided to have more “me time,” I had to tell others no. Sometimes feelings got hurt and explanations were required. Yet before I did a time cleanse, I found myself feeling overwhelmed.

Cleanse Tips

So in light of the fact that I’m in the cleanse mode, I’ve decided to pass on a few tips to help you with your cleanses:

• Tackle cleanses in chunks—decide on an area you will cleanse and schedule it. For example, “I’m going to clean out my bathroom drawers this weekend,” as opposed to, “I’m going to clean out my entire home this weekend.”
• Remember that creativity often wanes when you’re in cleanse mode. Don’t get freaked out by your lack of ideas and impetus to innovate.
• Think “more or less” not “either or.” You might have to meet with your friends a little less often so you can make time to paint. You’re not abandoning them, but just stretching your visits out a bit more.
• I’ve found a slow transitional approach easier in terms of body cleanses. I added more raw foods, whole grains, and lean protein as I diminished my sugar and starch intake.

Remember, the desire to cleanse seems to precede personal expansion. We must remove before we can explore. If you desire to clean out, go with it while the motivation is there. I guarantee something new and wonderful will fill in those empty places and spaces.

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