If you are regular reader of the "Core Four Health Coaching Corner", you are probably thinking that when I say "replace your broom" that the broom is actually a metaphor for something else. You may be expecting some elaborate connection between using a broom and living a healthier life. Believe it or not, today I am talking about an actual broom...you know, the thing that you use to sweep the crumbs out of your kitchen and the leaves off of your front porch.
Last week I purchased a new broom and dust pan. This was a very big purchase for me, which may be hard to believe since we are talking about an everyday cleaning tool that most people probably don't think much about. You see, for years I have been sweeping my kitchen with a really bad broom. I am not over- dramatizing this...it was a complete piece of garbage. The bristles never actually picked anything up from the floor, the handle was way too short, the dustpan didn't rest flush on the floor, and I am pretty sure the handle had splintering wood on it. The worst part of all, as if those other things weren't bad enough, the broom head and broom stick would become disconnected no less than 8 times every time I used the darn thing! My broom turned what should have been a simple and routine household chore into a back-straining, splinter-causing, dust-flying headache. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why I did not toss the thing out years ago!
Something clicked for me last week! I had an Oprah AH-HA moment (more about that later)! When I finished sweeping my kitchen floor, instead of returning my dilapidated broom to its hook in the garage, I tossed it in the garbage. I took me two tries to find the "perfect" replacement (I returned the first new broom I bought). I now have a shiny new white broom with matching dustpan which not only has a working handle that doesn't fall off or cause splinters, but it is just the right height for me which means no more back-strain! What a life-changing improvement! Sweeping my kitchen is now a joyful and enjoyable experience! Can I have an "Alleluia"?!
Why do we hang on to things that no longer work, serve us well or bring us joy? If you are shaking your head and thinking how silly I am being about a broom, ask yourself a few questions: "Am I sleeping on a lumpy mattress that has me tossing and turning all night?"... "Do I worry about getting into a car accident because it's been several presidential administrations since I replaced my undergarments?"... "What about that blender that only works when I hold the button down the entire time?"... If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may need to "replace your broom" too.
I can definitively say that I do not think it's about money. My new broom cost me less than $10. I cannot believe I "resisted" purchasing a new one. Many years ago I heard a radio interview between Oprah Winfrey and her best friend Gayle King. Oprah had Gayle laughing so hard telling her all about her toaster. As you probably know from the Weight Watchers commercials, Oprah loves bread. She really really really loves bread. Her morning routine includes a cup of chai tea and several slices of toast. Apparently her toaster was worn out and as my mother would say, "did not owe her another day." The thing was being held together with duct tape and rubber bands! It burned the toast half of the time and undercooked it the other half. Every morning, Oprah's day started with much frustration and angst over not being able to enjoy a few slices of toast without fear of electrocution and setting off the smoke alarms. Oprah told Gayle during the interview that "today was the day I had had enough!" She said, "I am one of the richest women in the world! I can afford a new toaster!" As I said before, when we hang onto things that frustrate us, make us feel bad and add stress into our lives, it is most likely not about the money.
It may seem like a minor thing to desire to have toasters that work, underwear without holes and brooms that pick up the dirt. It is a big deal, however, if we don't value ourselves enough to be surrounded by things that lift us up and help us to do what we have to do each day. You deserve to have tools that make your life easier, comfy mattresses that lull you into a deep and restful slumber, and undergarments that make you feel completely put together. What is your "broom"?...the thing that tests your patience and is long overdue for a replacement? Whatever it is, make today the day to pull an Oprah and say "enough is enough"! I promise you that you will feel better and you will be taking another step on the path towards living a healthier and happier life. Perhaps the broom was a metaphor after all.