Kitchen Pantry Therapy
I spent a good part of Thursday cleaning out our pantry. It was bad yall. Judge all you want but know I've already judged myself plenty for letting it get this way.
And, metaphorically speaking, I can be honest with you in telling you that my life as of lately has been much like this pantry. The similarities were uncanny (oh, there's a pun), and while I'm working from open wounds right now, I found myself crying actual tears going through the process of simply getting my pantry back to good.
From the outside, we have a nice little pantry. Our kitchen (my life) looks quite put together. Once opened, it's pretty messy. Functional, but not optimal. And quite honestly it was getting to the point where things were falling out of the pantry. There was no more room for unused products to get stashed in the back. I had to face it. I had to clean it
I started emptying each item from the shelves. One by one. So many things like "arrow root starch" and "sorghum flour" hiding in the back. Empty boxes, spills of ingredients. The more I dug, the messier it became. When the pantry was finally empty, there was a very clear need for a wipe down, but there were sticky parts, and some food coloring spilled and actually left a stain. Now discovered, and even cleaned, but marked forever.
I turned around and saw alllll the things I pulled out in a pile behind me. My kitchen (my life) was not put together. It was a very visible mess. And it was even more overwhelming than ever.
I cried again.
If you know me even the littlest bit, you know I am organizationally challenged. I literally don't think in practical categories. BUT, I stood there, stared, tried to make sense of what was in front of me... and I tried. I sorted. I listed. I took time to sit in the mess. The more I sat there, the less overwhelmed I felt. The more I looked at each pile, the less it intimidated me.
And off to Target I went. I took action. I bought the whole end aisle of Target's new pantry organizational brand (Brightside, I think?). I bought liners to prevent future stains, and I bought my very first LABEL MAKER!. LFG.
One by one, bit by bit, I put things back into my pantry. Organized, labeled, categorized. I did it! That night, Enzo and Finley opened the pantry and looked at the pasta container labeled "Fusilli" and eagerly asked for THAT for dinner.
I have a million other cabinets that need this overhaul. And my life, especially right now, has many compartments needing some brutal uncomfortable attention. But progress is made and it feels good. I am not only FREED to tackle those areas, but I am MORE EQUIPPED!
Use this own metaphor in your own life.
There is probably a place in your life where you are "comfortable" with the door closed, but unhinged and messy should the door open. Not only is it ok to face these things, but by doing so, not only will you free your mind (stuffed messes clutter thinking & zap energy) but will empower you to face the other spaces. By doing so, you are BUILDING YOU and may actually be serving the people around you for the better.