by B.J. Armstrong

March.... the third month of the year. The time to spring into another season. The season of Spring... a time of renewal. A time to do spring cleaning. Why not clean your life? In addition to washing the windows and curtains, Spring is a good time to tidy up your emotional life.

Love is the greatest gift you have to offer. Make it a priority. If you give love and it is not returned, you are not responsible for the results. It's that person's choice to receive or reject. Let it go. Smile and sigh and trust God for tomorrow. Positive thinking is powerful medicine.

God has given us this season of Spring to use as best we can and will... we can waste it or use it for good. What would happen if you threw some solicitors mail in the garbage unopened? What if you missed that T.V show you always watch on Tuesday night? What could you do with that extra thirty minutes you used up gossiping on the telephone. Treat yourself to a bubble bath ... yep.. in the middle of the day. Occasionally it's nice to relax and remind yourself that you are a person of value and worth.

Pay a little extra attention to caring for yourself this time of year. Try to get some exercise, to eat nutritious

foods, to take your vitamins. Gripe a little bit to someone who cares... this will make a difference to you, knowing you have their support and prayers.

In today's cyber age, you could spend every waking moment taking in information. Make a short phone call for a luncheon date with an old friend. Search the Internet for something of interest that you hadn't

taken the time to do in the past. Information has never been so readily available! Make use of it!

Find a lovely place where you can walk to boost your spirits... a park, the mall (during the week,) your neighborhood (when school is in session,) and try to walk there at least once a week. Attend a benefit for a worthy cause. Go somewhere you have never been before. All of these will give you a new outlook on life.

It takes time to make changes in your life. So this March of spring cleaning of

life, get started. In fact, it takes twenty-one days of practicing a new behavior before it starts to turn into a habit. So don't become discourages if you can't tidy up your emotional life overnight. Make a  plan. Then finalize your plan of action.

We can spring-clean our life inside and out. Hanging onto grudges, anger and frustrations is a big energy drain for us. Let go and take full responsibility for your heart. Deal directly with your problems, but be open to solutions. Forgive those people who have hurt you in the past.

"You don't even have to inform the person. Silently letting go of the anger frees you to move on," states Dr. Rachelle Zukerman from the UCLA school of social welfare. But ask for any help that you know you need. Because a day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.

Now that you have cleaned house... pat yourself on the back for all the many things you have done right in your life. Make definite plans for your immediate future. Practice looking on the bright side of life!

Everyone ... spring into a new life
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