Goal Setting

For some of us, the mere thought of cleaning gives us hives. All the time and effort to engage in something that will only have to be done again - often, the next day!

But spring cleaning serves another, higher purpose. Not only does clearing out the cobwebs make you feel virtuous, it allows you to feel lighter, both physically and emotionally.

Here, I’ve done just that: provided some tips on how to shed old habits and allow new, healthier options to take their place. The payoff? A lighter, brighter, happier you. So pick up your dust rag, grab your Pledge and enjoy the results of your labor. You deserve it.

–> 1. Clear the decks.

If you’re a city dweller and space is a luxury you simply don’t have, the best gift you can give yourself is to make the most of your available square footage. One way - which happens to be the simplest and most effective - is to take a long, hard look at the stuff in your house, and then start dumping.

That’s not to say that you need to toss out all your beloved belongings or prized possessions. That would be futile, and deeply unnecessary. Just consolidate the things you do have and toss what you no longer need. For instance, who needs five pairs of sunglasses or 12 umbrellas? Gaucho pants circa 1978? A Buns of Steel VHS tape? No one! Dump them!

Same goes for junk mail. Who needs it? Not only does it clog your mailbox and waste your time, it wreaks havoc on the environment and contributes to global warming. To get rid of pesky, unwanted mail, the Donotmail website offers a slew of tips on how to kick junk mail to the curb.

–> 2. Toss your cookies.

If you’re among the 40 percent of women who report feeling tired and weary all the time, your diet could be the culprit. Sugar and refined carbohydrates - the “white” food in our diets - produce an instant energy boost that leads to the all too familiar crash-and-burn syndrome.

The solution? Trash the Twinkies and load up on complex carbs instead: unrefined pasta, wholegrain bread and brown rice. Not only are these foods a more healthful option, they’re loaded with fiber and offer a slower release of energy. And paired with veggies, fruit, beans and pulses - not to mention protein (lean meats, chicken, fish) - you’ll get an even greater energy boost.

And don’t forget, when it comes to choosing your fruits and vegetables, opt for darker-skinned varieties, which contain more antioxidants - the healthy chemicals that protect us against heart disease and cancer. Fruits to look out for include plums, blackberries, blueberries; red apples; vegetables include eggplants, carrots, tomatoes, kidney beans and peppers.

–> 3. Shed your skin.

At the risk of sounding like an Estee Lauder ad, there’s something to be said for peeling away those yucky layers of dead, wintry skin and replacing it with a new, revived epidermis. If a spa treatment isn’t your thing, or you simply don’t have the time or cash, try this at-home almond body scrub to gently and thoroughly exfoliate the top layer of dead-skin cells.

You’ll need:

2/3 cup ground almonds

1/3 cup oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon of herbs (lavender, chamomile, etc)

Plain yogurt, milk, or buttermilk, sufficient to make a paste

Essential Oils for scent (optional)

Combine the dry ingredients in a blender or food processor until they are reduced to a coarse meal. Keep this “scrub base” in a glass jar with a screw top in your refrigerator until ready to use. When you want to use the scrub base, scoop out 1/4 cup into a small bowl, and stir in enough of the liquid ingredients (vary it by what you have on hand - yogurt and milk are best, but water works) to make a paste. Scoop up the paste with your hands or a washcloth, and rub over your body to exfoliate peeling skin. Rinse thoroughly. Ahhhhh…

–> 4. Turn off the tube.

Enjoying an occasional evening with the Desperate Housewives and a well deserved pint of Chunky Monkey is fine - necessary, even. But new research has shown that the more we channel surf, the unhealthier we get.

In fact, a recent study in the British journal The Lancet found adults who were avid TV watchers as children were more likely as adults to be overweight, to smoke and to have high cholesterol. And women who watched three to four hours of TV a day were twice as likely to be obese as those who watched one or two. Scary!

The moral of this story? It’s better to take a brisk walk down Wisteria Lane than simply watch the Housewives do it. What’s more, not only will regular exercise help shed pounds and improve your mood, just 30 minutes of exercise a day (or 10,000 steps), five times a week, is all you need to stay fit. So lace up your Nikes, strap on your pedometer and step lively!

–> 5. Ditch the cigs.

We all know that smoking is a major health hazard. But did you know that smokers lose, on average, close to a decade of life? That’s scary stuff, to be sure.

The good news is, those who call it quits, after 10 years of being smoke-free, are able to cut their risk of lung cancer by half. They also feel healthier and have more energy to exercise without being short of breath. You can’t beat that for spring-cleaning your lungs!

–> 6. start a journal.

While you’re in the throes of cleaning up and clearing out externally, how about a session of internal spring cleaning too? According to studies conducted by American psychologist James W. Pennebaker, journaling - also known as “expressive writing” or writing therapy - for at least 15 minutes a day, about your innermost thoughts and feelings, can help release “blocked emotions” and make you feel “significantly better, physically and mentally.” In fact, retelling a problem or experience in words, rather than simply thinking about it in your head, can help “bring about a change in perspective.”

To make the most of your expressive writing session, Pennebaker suggests asking yourself three questions: 1.) What happened? 2.) How did I feel about that? 3.) Why did I feel that way? When writing down the answers, don’t worry about grammar, spelling complete sentences or repetition. As Pennebaker says, “What counts is that you delve into your deepest feelings.” For journaling inspiration, you might want to check out these two helpful books on the subject: Writing for Emotional Balance: A Guided Journal to Help You Manage Overwhelming Emotions, by Beth Jacobs (New Harbinger, 2005), and Journalution: Journaling to Awaken Your Inner Voice, Heal Your Life and Manifest Your Dreams, by Sandy Grason (New World Library, 2005).

Good luck - and happy spring!