A Fresh Start

Now that I'm the one sending kids to school instead of the one going, I love back to school season! I've found that the end of summer is also a time to do a little cleaning out and dumping closets and drawers full of mismatched socks, outgrown clothes, and broken flipflops.

If you're anything like me, your closets aren't the only things that have gotten a bit cluttered over the summer. To protect your emotional health, you might want to freshen up some of your inner workings to protect your physical health. When you're throwing out the old sunscreen, why not consider dumping a few of these problem children, too?

• Regret - Mulling over some episode in your past over and over again isn't healthy. Admitting to yourself that you're human and owning up to mistakes is a good, healthy thing to do.
• The blahs - Who wants to get off the couch when it's dark and cold outside? With the sun and birds and flowers in bloom, start reconnecting with neighbors and friends.
• Anxiety - Stop worrying and expecting the worst outcomes. Instead, choose to live with hope and optimism.
• Criticism - I know, there are plenty of reasons to complain, but what if's just for one day a week you refrained from focusing on the things that bug you? When you focus on the good around you, you'll feel much more energetic and at peace with the world.

A little back to school cleaning can go a long way toward feeling happy and joyful!