Eliminating Pesky Annoyances and Energy Drains

In order to build a solid foundation to enable the focus and energy needed for personal growth and development, you need to free up some energy, time and space. These are finite commodities, so when they are not utilized efficiently, our goals are often competing with less important tasks, relationships, communications and activities. (Watching "The Biggest Loser" comes to mind as does reading Star magazine, listening to anything Nancy Pelosi says...you get my drift). Our energy is divided among many, many things versus spending it on what really matters to us and what brings us peace, joy, excitement and fulfillment. In her book Coaching Yourself to Success, Talane Miedaner says that "Everything you are tolerating, drains your energy, makes you irritable and wears you down." Her task for me, to really open my eyes to all those things I am just tolerating and that are draining my energy, was to make a list of 60-100 things that I am/was just tolerating. The following is (most of) my list:

Things I am Just Tolerating:
1. Dingy grout in the tub
2. Rust stain in the tub
3. Tile and carpet I dislike
4. Dead outdoor plants
5. Clutter under the bed
6. Overstuffed closet
7. Exterior deterioration of my condo and property
8. Cat spray smell outside my condo door
9. My old kitchen and bathroom counters
10.Having no knobs on the kitchen cabinets
11.Piece of unstained/unmatching wood in kitchen
12.Microwave sitting on the counter
13.Messy, stuffed pantry
14.Broken vacuum cleaner
15.Bathroom vanity (ugly/no storage space)
16.Social life
17.Bathroom light fixture
18.Kitchen light fixture
19.Desk with no drawers/storage
20.Sliding doors-hard to open
21.Plumbing needs changed
22.Electrical fuse box needs updated
23.Property landscaping/entrance is ugly
24.Lack of family close by
25.Job-schedule
26.Long drive to amentities (church, running club, classes, etc)
27.Lack of things in common with neighbors
28.Job-underappreciated by customers and boss
29.Job-being away from home so often
30.Eating alone
31.Condo Board of Directors-slow to accomplish improvements
32.Lack of regular, stimulating conversation
33.No dating life
34.Clutter in bedroom (too much furniture, stuff behind door)
35.Pollen on outdoor furniture
36.My pearly off-whites
37.Gym-not open 24 hours; lacks classes I want
38.Lack of close friendships in town
39.Job-unfulfilling work; unstimulating work
40.Bad allergies
41.Facebook
42.Lack of support system in town
43.Watches with dead batteries
44.Tarnished jewelry
45.Messy and unattractive ring and watch holder in bathroom
46.Messy undersink storage in bathroom
47.Stuffed and messy outdoor storage
48.(relationship)
49.Worrying about identity theft
50.Ugly mirror in bathroom
51.Dripping water in bathroom
52.Necklace storage-incovenient and unattractive
53.Unclean condo
54.Noisy neighbor
55.Lack of coat closet
56.Lack of book shelves
57.Lack of spare bedroom
58.Lack of storage for gear (bicycle, motorcycle)
59.Baseboards (ugly, need painted)
60.Kitchen faucet
61.No vent hood on stove
62.(relationships-work)
63.Lack of cultural things close by
64.Car-needs vacuumed

In creating this list, what stood out was how "stuff" played a major part in draining my energy- specifically, too much stuff! Some of the other energy drains regarding relationships, support and work may require some energy to deal with so I decided to get that energy by eliminating the drains that could get me momentum.

I've wanted to update the condo for at least a year, and now have realized that the clutter and stuff was detouring me from this goal. So decluttering was where I've decided to start--and didn't get far before being distracted by a gorgeous spring day! Using that to my advantage, I tackled some of the outdoor energy drains. I picked up my new and lovely plants, decided to downsize the number this year to minimize the energy they'd take to keep alive (what with my black thumb and all), put my headphones on, and potted away the day! Not only are the new plants gorgeous, but I took some time to clean off the outdoor furniture, touch up paint, and throw out my unwelcoming welcome mat! What do you know, but my entrance has become more welcoming and inviting! I get a burst of happiness and energy every time I see the pretty blooms and clean, tidy space outside! I did realize that one more thing that was within my control needed to be addressed and that was the cat spray smell left by my front door by the neighbor's cat in an effort to show his dislike for my indoor pets. No, I can't eliminate the cat (...or can I???), so I concocted a cleaning solvent and scrubbed away. The smell is gone and just to be sure the cat doesn't come close anymore, I left orange aroma by my entrance which is suppose to repel cats. In addition, I posted a notice reminding residents of the deed restrictions concerning pets, and much to my joy, the roaming cat population has diminished to almost none, and they haven't been back to spray in front of my door- Now that's an energy booster! (And the chores I were dreading were turned into fun by a sunny, warm day and great music and no rushing to get them done!)

In the next article, I will eliminate the energy drains from my overstuffed, undersized bedroom (or multipurpose room as it is a bedroom/storage room/spare bedroom/coat closet/attic- but thank God not a bathroom too!). See how this task has changed my outlook on shopping, shoes and feng shui!