Dear Friends,

Rainy days used to get me down; not any more. When we have a rainy day in western North Carolina; complete with thunder and lightning. I turn on all my lights and my classical music to fill our spirit. My poor hound dog gets scared but as long as I am right by her side she can tolerate it.

What is it about just knowing someone is right beside you that is comforting. My dog occasionally will poke her nose under my hand and ask for a pat on the head to reassure him. We are like this. There is comfort in knowing there are people all over the world are doing the same thing you are; that others need help too. We are not alone is our rally cry.

There are a million of us who need that pat on the head. We have learned that when we take care of ourselves that our houses almost clean themselves. We started this all because we wanted a nice home to bless us. The pats on the back we received were from us. Then what happened. The family started to notice the changes going on in you and in their home.

We quit being a martyr and we let go of much of our perfectionism. Slowly the changes we made in ourselves began to reflect just like our kitchen sinks. Do you remember the joy you felt that first morning you walked into your kitchen and found your sink smiling back at you? This is what you do with your family. The stress of a messy cluttered chaotic home is slowly leaving and you are smiling more at your children. They are not walking on eggshells any longer. Your nerves are not stretched to the point of a breaking over a simple glass of spilled milk. You have realized that it doesn’t take that long to clean up. With a smile on your face and a chuckle in your heart at how you used to be; you hand your child a towel and you both work together to clean it up. No fuss, no muss, just love and laughter.

These new behaviors didn’t happen over night. They were gradual and because you took the time to establish your routines; you did not crash and burn. Over the years we have tried many systems only to beat ourselves up because we could not stick to them. The problem with a new system, is not with the system, it is with us. We try to do too much too fast and our little wing are not ready to hold us up. We have to take babysteps to change our thinking as well as constructive actions daily to reinforce our new simple habits. These babysteps will change your life if you will not allow your perfectionism to ruin it for you.

Have you ever looked at my cartoon character? When the cartoonist was drawing her for the website; he asked me what I did for my ladies. I told him I was their biggest cheerleader. Sometimes I am a drill sergeant keeping time and bossing them around. Then there are other times that I have to scold you for not taking care of yourself; so you see that mommy finger shaking. I told him that when things start coming together in their home; they look at me as a fairy godmother; so he put wings on her. She has on her pearls and earrings, her shoes are laced up and she has a big smile on her face.

Just this weekend someone asked me if my cartoon was going to change
if I lost all the weight. I told her no, she would not change. All of us identify with her smiling face regardless of her size. There is a large percentage of our members who are dealing with weight issues and other health problems that go along with being overweight. When a new members comes to our door; I want her to realize that she is accepted just the way she is. Our little cartoon does that. She is cheering us on as we put stars on our calendar for moving and she tells us she is so proud of us.

We have not heard that often in our lifetimes. This is why I want you to FLY for you! Not for anyone else; just you. The others will be blessed later. You have sacrificed your whole life for everyone around you. You have given, when you had nothing to give and eventually you were left feeling empty. I am here to fill you up with your love and the encouragement that you can do this. You are not alone. We are in this together.

I am so proud of each of you for making real changes in your life. Even the smallest of changes are going to reflect to others and that shiny sink is going to be contagious to the rest of your home and your family! Now go shine your sink and remember that babysteps are the key to not crashing and burning. I want you to FLY!

From CHAOS to Clean,

FlyLady

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