Motivation By Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning is a great motivator. Why confine it to Spring?

It is arguable that we should not only give gifts at Christmas and make resolutions at the New Year.

It is worth giving gifts all year round and making resolutions to improve throughout the year. Why wait until December?

In the same way we can benefit from not leaving spring cleaning to April or May alone.

The motivational power of clearing up clutter and getting organized is enormous.

Piles of paper lying around can weigh you down as much as an extra stone's weight around the midriff. File the paper away and feel lighter, less tired and more agile.

When the material rubbish of the house is cleared away, the rubbish of the mind tends to follow. This allows new thoughts and energy to come in.

Recently after clearing away rubbish I stayed up till 6 a.m. without feeling tired.

A great way to clear rubbish is to burn it. Bonfires are fun so long as they are kept safe. They can shrink huge piles of rubbish into tiny little ashes.

Also, while the fire is burning, you get motivated to find more stuff to burn and you end up clearing away much more clutter than you originally planned. Even sensitive documents can be burned as the data will no longer be retrievable.

A daily bonfire might not be possible but a daily mini 'spring clean' is a great way to get motivated.

You not only clear your house and your thoughts; you discover things that once got you excited enough to buy them.

You will renew that excitement and enthusiasm as you see that book, which you were so keen to get, once again. You might even read it this time! As you have probably guessed when I say 'you' I usually mean 'I' as well.

I have an acronym PALACE stuck up on a wardrobe to focus my mind on a daily mini spring clean:

PLACE - put at least one thing in its proper place every day

ANSWER - answer at least one letter or email a day

LABEL - label at least one thing a day

ARCHIVE - archive at least one thing a day i.e. move a less important thing further away from your normal centre of activity

CHUCK - chuck out at least one thing a day

EMPTY - empty or clear away at least one piece of clutter off one surface a day

You will probably find that you apply the above acronym (PALACE) to more than one thing as you start taking action.

This daily habit could turn your home into a palace and you into a dynamic, effective person. Give it a try!

About the author

John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams.

They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.

The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now! - Acronyms, Stories, Pictures And Quotes...Easy To Remember And Use Everyday To Grab Your Life And Soar With The Eagles"

The book can be found at this URL: http://www.motivationtoday.com/36_laws.php

The book uses acronyms, stories, pictures and quotations to help readers remember 36 laws that can gradually transform your life if you apply them.

Ezine editors / Site owners

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site but please include the resource box above.

---

Move On!

I woke up one morning with a sharp pain in my ear. The last time I had an earache was some eighteen years ago. Then it was... Read More

What Are You Waiting For?

It's the new millenium. Are you ready to finally realize your dream? I'm talking about the desire that you carry deep down inside of you that you... Read More

At A Dead End? Look Deeply Into My Eyes!

The president of a large North Eastern company, doing business internationally, was visiting his California division. While he was there, he saw a very large photograph of,... Read More

Problems or Opportunities?

As best I can tell hereâ??s how it breaks down.Some people see problems as opportunities. Understanding that getting through each opportunity puts them closer to the next... Read More

Is Failure the End of Everything?

"The important thing is to learn a lesson every time you lose." --John McEnroeMuch as we would like, not everything is going to go our way. Even... Read More

Your Life Just OK? It Doesnt Have To Be That Way! Live the Life You Really Want To Live!

I have some questions for you. Are you ready? How would your rate your life on a scale from one to ten; 10 being fantastic and 1... Read More

Planting Seeds of Action

Recently, I was driving past a local nursery and saw a sign that said, "Fall Is For Planting." As I drove, the idea on the sign was... Read More

Can One Person Increase Motivation in Another Person?

The answer is yes, of course, right? People motivate other people. After all, what about coaches and inspirational speakers? They are paid to motivate other people to... Read More

Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life

When people begin to investigate career change, often they don't want a new career at all. They love their career -- but they also want time for... Read More

3 Clever Ways To Stop Procrastinating

Stopping procrastination can be challenging, especially since you can't put it off until tomorrow! Most people who procrastinate did not do so overnight. Like any other bad... Read More

Come Alive!

As many of you know I have a passion for helping people identify their dreams and go after them. What you may not know is that (much... Read More

The Ripple Effect: Small Steps Lead to Big Results

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." -AristotleProcrastination is the single habit at the root of so many problems... Read More

Whats Your Zipline?

A few years ago, I was with 20 of America's most effective presenters ? The Speakers Roundtable ? at the Pecos River Conference Center near Sante Fe,... Read More

Motivation: The Power of Vision

Here's an interesting story from the world of race car driving. One of the most important things that beginning race car drivers learn is what to do... Read More

Motivation: 5 Powerful Emotions You Can Use

Experiencing strong emotions is not uncommon. What is uncommon is applying these emotions to motivate you to change and grow.Having said that, here are five emotional states... Read More

Does Your Battery Need Recharging?

A technical support person in a pager company tells the story of a customer call to the customer service center from a man who repeatedly complained he... Read More

Get Started! Do Something!

This is about getting started. Taking that first step. It is so easy to moan about our lives and complain that things aren't how we want them... Read More

Breaking Through Resistance

Why is it that every time you start something new, a million and one things get in the way?You make a goal to lose weight and all... Read More

Stop Holding Yourself Back

Try this exercise. Take a sheet of paper and list down all the emotions you can think of? Take a couple of minutes and if possible, keep... Read More

Nurturing Your Vision

There is a new television show, called Blind Justice that will be replacing NYPD Blue. The show follows a Detective who, at the prime of his life... Read More

Is Work Still Necessary?

I have a confession to make - several confessions in fact.I have at times been stupid enough to believe that work is not necessary to make money... Read More

Constructive Tips About Retrenchment

This article provides constructive tips about facing retrenchment and moving on with new career opportunities.1) Don't take it personally.Your retrenchment should not lower your self-esteem. You have... Read More

Commit to Doing 80%

Instead of trying to be perfect, it is better to do your best, and often your best doesn't look like going all out all the time. This... Read More

Motivation By Kicking Butt

Some people respond to being yelled at and even sworn at. This brings out that extra bit of effort and they become highly motivated. Others are just... Read More

Awaken The Sleeping Attitude Within You!

I have made the statement numerous times that; "You are the most important living person." Take some time and think about yourself. Look at yourself in the... Read More

Entrepreneurs: Take Action Over Inspiration Every Time!

"Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory!" General George S. PattonWhen choosing a senior quote, this one jumped right at me. I... Read More