Start Where You Are

Dana White was ready to launch a fabulous career as a writer. There were just a few things in her way. Actually, a lot of things.

Energy block #1: She couldn’t get started until she plowed through the piles of stuff that had taken over every room in the house. Then there was energy block #2: The embarrassment that constantly undercut her self-worth. Feeling bad wasn’t motivating; it just made things worse. That was, until Dana had a lightbulb moment. She didn’t have to postpone writing until the house was perfect; the blockbuster topic was right in front of her. So, she launched “A Slob Comes Clean” and wrote about the turmoil:

My house is messy. Really messy. And this is the area where I feel like a total failure. I am constantly frustrated with it and I know it affects all the other areas of my life, and the lives of each person in my family. Even the things I’m pretty good at could be so much better if it weren’t for this problem.

Every mother knows that the real time for resolutions is the beginning of the school year. This is when everything really starts over. So, in this year where I only have one at home, I want to finally get this thing conquered. Combining my desire to blog with my need to fix this area of my life is not going to be an overnight solution. I’m not doing a 30 day or even a 365-day plan to a cleaner house. I need to change my routine, my habits and finally be consistent in this.

Dana’s story matters for the April series, Energy Balancers, because it’s a beautiful example of personal empowerment. In the end, her situation wasn’t about hiring an interior designer or building a custom closet. She cleared her energy block by changing her mind about what was possible. Her “enough is enough” honesty opened a permanent door to balance.

Balance is unattainable if you think of it like standing on one foot all day. However, it’s achievable if you see it as a daily reset to a strong, secure place. Let’s recap what we’ve learned about energy balancing:

• “Lose the Layers” looked at blocked energy. Opening a pipeline to fresh ideas takes more than declaring positive statements. We must admit old, limiting beliefs and be ready to release them;
• “Hustling is Exhausting” showed how frantic energy may feel exciting, but it usually just sends you in circles. By contrast, artist Molly Hahn demonstrated how to channel her ultra-creative personality into a hustle that yielded positive results; and
• “Pass!” profiled smart energetic investments. Don’t let mismatches like red flag relationships, worn-out patterns, and other people’s vision for your life become the boss of you. Say, “Pass!”

Right now, you may feel like your life is all over the place. Here’s the surprise: That’s the perfect time to get back in balance. Make a daily commitment to discard habits or choices that don’t make you feel steady, stable and aligned. Don’t wait for all the pieces to fall into place before you get going. Just start where you are.