Busy doing nothing ...

... OK, well not quite nothing - I have been doing something this weekend. However, rather than the usual full-on, activity filled weekend going here there and everywhere, I've been really embracing Gaia Pollini's advice (the lady with whom I had a healing session at The Hill That Breathes) to do less, be still more often, and just generally be more 'yin' (quiet, restful, nurturing) as opposed to 'yang' (outgoing, active, energetic). And so I've been at home pretty much all of the weekend, having early night both Friday and Saturday. Normally I would view such behaviour as dull and boring - surely you must be out on a Saturday night? Well maybe, but for now I am thoroughly enjoying having some peacful, quiet time. I even managed to finish the last three quarters of a huge crime fiction novel I started the other day! (by Linwood Barclay - I've just discovered him and he's great, almost as good as Dan Brown in my opinion).

Clean on the outside...
However, I wasn't entirely inert: I cleaned. Housework is, for me, normally an annual event, sometimes bi-annual, but I was so fed up of piles of 'stuff' around the house, not to mention a carpet that desperately needed vacuuming, so I got stuck in, and once started couldn't stop. I fully embrace the idea that your outer environment can either reflect or influence your inner world - I've not only read enough books on feng shui and space clearing to know it has an effect, but I actually experience it for myself. Whenever I walk into a messy kitchen or bathroom, my subconscious quiety groans, and that can have an impact on my mood. Whereas when I enter my now orderly, tidy bedroom, and gleaming bathroom, I feel uplifted and calm. Clearing out your clutter is one of THE best ways to give yourself an instant feel-good boost. Now I've started, I'm going to continue with the clothes, shoes (well, maybe not all the shoes - I'm rather attached to them) and any unused items in the kitchen, and either take them to the charity shop or have a car boot sale. It really does make such a difference to the way I feel, walking into a clean and tidy home.

Clean on the inside
To add to the cleansing effects, I also had a mini detox - as I'd been stuffing myself with pizza, pasta and all manner of sweet things at work during the week - and so decided to drink freshly made veg and fruit juices, with a couple of bowls of porridge and fruit, and just one main meal on Sunday evening of lots of salad and fish. I feel so much better for my cleansing weekend, both inner and outer, and my plan now is to maintain it!