If you think that "deadheading" has something to do with packing up all of your belongings and traveling cross-country to follow the rock band the Grateful Dead, then I know that you haven't planted any petunias, delphiniums or roses this year. Before I became a full-time homeowner and part-time garden tender, I had no idea what it meant to "deadhead" anything. Now it is something that I spend a lot of time doing...tidying up my flowering plants by picking off the dead flower heads. It never ceases to amaze me what happens soon after I pinch off the flower stem! It seems like almost immediately new flowers appear. The science behind the process is fascinating - the deadheading channels energy into the flowers, resulting in healthier plants and continued blooms.
Can you relate to this process? Doesn't your hair seem thicker after a haircut? Have you ever brought new life to an old sweater by removing pills? Doesn't your skin look amazing after an exfoliating facial scrub? I remember when I was a kid, my parents pulled up the worn and stained carpeting in our home only to be pleasantly surprised to find the most gorgeous hardwood floors underneath!
Sometimes all we need to boost our energy and feel brand new again is to remove whatever it is that is preventing us from blooming. I am betting that you can easily think of a few things in your life that need to be deadheaded. This year I made a commitment to let go of things that my family and I no longer use, need or love. We are going room-by-room, drawer after drawer, and top to bottom in every closet. After we tackle each one, we are often surprised at how little time it actually took. It isn't always easy to part with things that we once loved. Believe me...I just emptied the closet that housed shelves filled with the storybooks I read to my sons every night...so I understand what it means to be emotionally attached. I also know, however, how many people have been blessed by the clothing, toys, books and kitchen appliances that we have donated this year. It is true what the organizing experts say, once "Elvis has left the building", you won't even miss the item(s) that you previously thought you could not live without.
A little deadheading can really go a long way. You will feel lighter, your home will be more organized, you may come across some cherished items that you long ago misplaced, and you will be helping to channel fresh energy and making room for new growth.
Start the deadheading process in your own life and home and hopefully instead of feeling like you are shriveling in the sun, you will soon look and feel like a flower in full bloom!