Author CHRISTINA DITZEL

GIVE YOUR HOME A MAKE OVER

CHRISTINA DITZEL Leave a comment

As a cleaning lady I know firsthand how important it is to not only keep a tidy home, but to create spaces that feel organized, clean, and rejuvenated while also staying functional for your whole family, your friends, and entertainment. But when the holiday’s come around, it can be so difficult to keep our homes both stylish and organized. With all the holiday trinkets, gifts, and new trends that come out every season, we can “purchase happy” every time we see something pleasing to our eyes.

“Are your spaces designed for functionality and style? Or just style? Or do you just live in your spaces without any thought at all?”

Does your home serve its purpose? I enter many different homes year-round as a cleaning lady in SW Florida. From experience, I can tell you that there are hundreds of styles out there! Each home unique and different but each has spaces that play a particular role. For example, a Kitchen serves the purpose of preparing food. Dining room serves the purpose of eating and enjoying food with family and friend. Then we have master bedrooms, kid’s rooms, pet rooms and well, you get the picture! Each space has a purpose.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that most people live with tons of unnecessary clutter, and they don’t use their spaces with purpose! I don’t care if it’s a single person living in a large home, a family of 3 in a small apartment, or a family of 8 in a mansion, there is a right and wrong way to live in our spaces. And although Pinterest has some great ideas for home organizing, it’s not helping you with yours!

I would say my home is functional, clean, organized, healthy, and a Zen place for me, and my kids to rest our heads. “Or hang our hats”! Could I do better?

Abso-freaking-lootely!!!

We can all always do better when it comes to cleaning, organizing and managing our home lives. We will always have to adjust our life, based on the season, our circumstances, and our surroundings.

That is why we all love spring! Right? So we can do our yearly “SPRING CLEANING”! Spring is a time where we get to regroup! We pull all our holiday decorations out…oh wait, that’s create new spaces, and we can even get reorganized, so we do better in the new year. Which is literally just around the corner! We can clean up and start from scratch at any time in our life, but Spring is always my favorite time of year to do this! Spring is an opportunity to get ready for those NEW YEAR GOALS!

‘Your Home Should Be Your Safe Haven”

Truth be told, I’ve never been the type of person who liked to move around a lot. Although I know some people who move once a year. My daughters will tell you the reason they’ve always felt so safe growing up, was because they knew they had a “safe haven” to come home to no matter how horrible their day was. Most people have a desire to move once a year for whatever reason. Maybe it’s a desire for that “new house feel”. I don’t know, but I prefer to stay put and offer my kids and myself stability, comfort, and safety. So instead of making drastic transitions or moving each year, I just re-design my home. but that doesn’t mean I am spending tons of money buying new Decore! Simply moving things around can give you a new feel and new look, while also getting rid of clutter.

“Clean Our Spaces and Create New Zen Places!”

When you re-decorate for Spring, or any other season for that matter, you can enjoy bringing a few new pieces without over doing it! You really have to learn self-control when you head to the store. There will always be new items on the shelf that tempt us and our shopping addiction. These new pieces may not even serve any real purpose, but somehow make us feel good in the moment. You know, like all those cups springing out of the cabinet because you have no more room for them! (SMH)

It’s like the pumpkin spice sign in fall, that some of us just can’t resist!!! The temptation of new decorative pillows, blankets, floral arrangements, table toppers, and designer placemat’s we just can’t do without! Let’s not forget all those cute mugs with quotes that clutter our shelves at home! We also have our lovely TikTok, Pinterest, and all the social media platforms that plant seeds to “buy more”! “Design with more”! With every scroll is another item we decide we need!

There will always be a new idea someone will come up with that triggers an idea in our head. Did you ever notice, when you try new trends you see online, it never actually looks like the picture? It is not functional in your own home! EVER! It only takes one idea to begin the journey down a very long road that leads to a tragically, cluttered, over stocked garage, and home filled with shit we don’t need, nor do we use!

HOME MAKEOVER’S THAT ARE ORGANIZED, FUNCTIONAL & ALLOW YOU TO STILL INDULGE YOUR SENSES DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASONS

So how can we indulge our senses during the holiday seasons, and still, keep our homes functional and organized?  Well, we can start with a clean canvas! Spending one weekend with each member of the family redesigning your spaces can be fun and will also get the family doing things together! I know what you’re thinking, “the kids and my husband won’t want to do this”! WELL, TOO FREAKING BAD! HAHAHA!! That is what I say! Just kidding!

Seriously, I know the kids can sometimes be difficult to get started, and even men can be difficult with all their “organized chaos”. Especially with more kids today being homeschooled and more and more people working at home. Upkeep can be so much more demanding. But I promise there is a way to keep your sanity, while also maintaining a clean and organized home. What if I told you I knew a way you could get the entire family to not only participate, but also maintain your home without ever having to deep clean again? EVER!  

I know you think I am insane! But if I can do it, so can you. Did you know, if you include your kids and allow them to have a say in how their spaces function best for them, they will be so much more engaged. Yes, they get to choose how they organize their spaces. You can help, but you don’t get to make the decisions.

See, when people feel like they have a voice, they feel like they have control, and when people feel they have control of their own life/environment, they work diligently to manage the things in their life/environment. People don’t like resistance. And every time you fight your family and implant your own ideas, they get turned away. I promise, if you try my simple organizing cleaning methods and you use the schedule I created, your family just might surprise you in the process! I use this method in my home and my kids keep their rooms and all the spaces in our home tidy, clean, and organized. So if you want your home tidy, clean, organized, and smelling amazing year-round. HERE IS MY CLEANING CHECKLIST PLANNER AND SCHEDULER. That should keep you on track and help you stay organized year round!

From the products you use, to how you create each space, it MUST work for everyone in the home, including your fur babies. I have done all the hard work for you and created a plan and a schedule that will keep everyone in your family organized and happy. Let’s face it, “happy people in a beautifully clean house, makes a very happy family”. I promise your life will not only be easier, happier, and healthier, but you will never have to deep clean your home again!! You will finally have time to laugh more, play often, and enjoy the things in life you truly desire. You will even have time to write that book you’ve been thinking about all these years. You can start that project or join that group or sports club you’ve been wanting to get involved with. Whatever it is you haven’t had the time to do, my checklist will surly leave breathing room for everyone in the family. Time is precious and time is money. So, don’t waste any more time deep cleaning and organizing your house like those Pinterest trends that just keep your spaces looking clutter! It is time wasted not doing the things you love and you’re missing out on living the life. You deserve to ZEN!

UNDERSTANDING ENERGY IN OUR SPACES

Everyone and I mean EVERYONE living in your home should have their own space for prayer and “Zen”! Remember this one rule, “your idea of calm is not equal to your kid’s idea of calm and relaxed”. Every single one of us give and receive energy differently. Just like we give and receive love differently. I believe kids today have a lot more pressure (due to social media), to figure out what they want in life and who they are as individuals. Everyone wants a success story, with love, financial freedom, and yes, a beautiful home that is organized, clean, and a place we can feel safe. But what we all desire more than anything in this world, is a sense of security. That security looks different for each one of us! Remember that!

Sometimes it can be more difficult for kids to find and define themselves when they don’t have an example of what it looks like to be different, independent, or unique. As a parent we must give them security to explore the different stages of their life. Ask yourself, “Am I being a good example of these qualities?” and “Do I allow my children to feel safe in their choices?” Okay so let’s get started, shall we?

You Must Get Clarity -What is the Purpose of your Home?

First things first, do you know the purpose of your home and do your spaces foster to the needs of everyone in the home? How are you utilizing your spaces? Do you ever wonder how interior designers do such an amazing job at designing spaces? It is simple! First, because they have a trained eye for lines, shapes, lighting, spaces, etc. But most importantly, designers look at each space through a lens of “space purpose”. They start with asking you questions. What is your favorite piece? Colors? What do you want this space to symbolize? What is the sole purpose of this space? Etc. etc. So, are you looking at each space through a lens of purpose? You must ask yourself, questions about your spaces and understand the purpose of each space. A space can serve its purpose but still appear cluttered and unorganized. Or it can serve its purpose and appear minimal, clean, and welcoming. Cleaning is a constant thing because people are unorganized. And being unorganized comes down to one issue. LAZZINESS! It really is that simple.

If you walk into your home after a hard day and feel overwhelmed, you’re doing something wrong! 

Organizing and having a clean home, doesn’t have to be a chore we hate or cost us a ton of money. You should come home and feel a huge sense of comfort and relief. EVERYDAY! When you walk in the door, you should feel a sense of Zen as all your senses indulge in the look, feel, and smell of your own home. Your home should serve a purpose and have a feel of “inviting”. If your home doesn’t feel inviting to you or your guests, you will indulge in unnecessary spending and constantly feel overwhelmed with your home decor. Purchasing more shit is not the answer! Getting into a system is!

Getting into a system is key  

I know most people already know this. And some people start the year off great, but it never sticks! We still find ourselves deep cleaning and doing that ‘SPRING CLEANING’ year after year. Getting into a system is always the most difficult part of any project, but once we get started planning, redesigning, organizing, and cleaning our home; it can be so rewarding and life changing. A home needs a system. But the system must have a routine.

Some say it takes an army to run a home! But I say, “you only need army men with a willingness to join the mission!” And to have focus, each man should only take on one mission at a time! That means, you personally start with one space. Each person starts with one room. Let everyone take care of their own space! (Of course, you can help the little ones, but if they can walk and talk they are old enough to learn how to make decision.)

You can get grab your download and “Learn How to Maintain a Clean & Organize Home With a lot Less Stress”, here.

The following are ways to get the home makeover you want without added stress. Keep your home looking clean and organized year-round so you never have to deep clean again. Change the way you maintain your home and season after season you will love your home. Be mindful of your spaces, Ask yourself some questions for each space in your room.

For example: The kitchen –

  1. How many people do you have in your family eating food?
  2. What kind of food does each person like?
  3. Does everyone eat dinner together? (This should be a requirement in each home for raising children with proper family moral values. But this is just my opinion! This will help everyone stay connected, teaches our youth communication skills, and make everyone feel included, engaged, and loved.) Don’t have signs that say “We gather together” when you don’t actually do that! Have purpose in your decorative pieces. DO WHAT YOU SAY AND SAY WHAT YOU MEAN
  4. Is everyone on the same diet plan or is someone on diet restrictions? (The best way to run a home is to discover foods everyone can eat and likes while also being considerate of those who may require special diets. Don’t rub bad eating habits (junk food) in the faces of those who have restrictions and healthier choices. It is rude, disrespectful, and causes stress and anxiety while also causing division in the home)
  5. Pantry and fridge – are they organized and labeled? (If everyone must eat separate keep labels and name tags. Don’t Spring short here! “Think less stress” when organizing and designing your spaces)
  6. Promote good eating with good food. Persuasion works best when you’re fridge and pantry are organized with containers. (Always think of the space with purpose creating a place for every item to be easily accessible.)
  7. Clean food and keep dry with paper towels before putting it away for less waste (The easier the access the more it will get eaten and less food will go to waste)
  8. Keep It simple and less complicated (Kitchen is for food. The fuller everyone is the less snacking goes on and the less mess you’ll have. Think of your kitchen with purpose considering each person in your family)
  9. Design happens in planning phase. When you plan the purpose of your kitchen your makeover will include items that keep it functional and organized.

If you want the full version that includes tips for every room in your house, you can join “My Subscription To a Life with Clarity and Zen”. There I share all my secretes and knowledge and stay up to date on all the newest things that work and don’t work. I share all my knowledge with you so you can find your little piece of Zen. In a world that has enough chaos, we don’t need it in our homes.  

The key to keeping up with each room is this, “you must really get clear on “the purpose” of the space. I would even pay attention to your dining room when planning your kitchen design. Most people forget the dinning area because they don’t use it. But a happy family gathers together for good meals and conversation. Dining should always be considered because it is where everyone in the family SHOULD BE eating together. I am not here to tell you how to live, but if you’re looking for more relaxation and peace in your life you should create systems that promote healthy habits. Eating in rooms, home office, or bedrooms, should not be prohibited in the home. It becomes a habit everyone gets into. A movie and dinner night is fine, on occasion! My girls and I do this often. But set it up with sofa tables or gathering around the coffee table on the floor with pillows and make it purposeful. Having a designated purpose for each space keeps your home clean, decluttered and of course, free of stains, pests, and bugs from those spills and crumbs that get left behind. Manage your spaces well. Take care of the things you spend money on.

If you want a PERSONAL DAILY CLEANING CHECKLIST & PLANNER just subscribe HERE.

The way to a clean home and a blessed life is to get a mindset that keeps your life and the things in it, in order. Everything in your home needs to have a place, a purpose, and must be easily accessible. When things become too hard to take out or put away it won’t get used and honestly, it just collects dust! Like those extra holiday trinkets, you’re adding into your already cluttered spaces!

DON’T DO THAT THIS YEAR!!!

HOME HACKS TO STAY ORGANIZED

Don’t miss this TIP: Always keep in mind, when things are too hard to put away, it won’t get put back properly, or at all. And eventually it will clutter your beautiful spaces.

  • STOP LOOKING AT PINTEREST See, the problem with those Pinterest pictures and all those gorgeous ideas online is that they don’t work for functionality! Those design ideas look great online because they are being staged for aesthetic! But again, even those pictures have their “purpose”! When we try these designs ideas at home, we end up having to “move shit to do shit”. Pinterest designs may look great at first, when you try it in your own space! Until one day you decide to live in that space! It doesn’t actually stay looking that way, because you didn’t think of functionality for your family or your lifestyle. How do “YOU” and your family use that space? You must have a purpose for each space, and there must be a purpose to every single piece you put in each space. And where and how you place things matter to everyone in the home. Bottom line!
  • DO YOU REALLY NEED ANOTHER MUG? Do me one favor! Please! The next time you go shopping ask yourself “Do I really need another mug?” You need to be asking yourself “Do I need this, or Do I just want this?” Don’t make purchases that don’t add purpose to your spaces and don’t make purchases that clutter your spaces! You don’t even have room for the crap you purchase, but you get it anyway because you think it matches your aesthetic. If you have no clue where that item is going to go in your home, it’s a “DEFINATE NO! YOU DON’T NEED IT!”  
  • DECLUTTER BEFORE YOU PURCHASE MORE CLUTTER! I get it  always puts us in the holiday spirit and you are dying to decorate with all those cool ideas you’ve been seeing all over the social media! I get it! But can I give you a new piece of advice? If I may be blunt, your cleaning lady might consider raising her prices on you unexpectedly because you have added a little (or a lot) more work to her routine. When you begin to put more things in your home, your cleaning crew must do more work. Have you considered them? Whether that cleaning crew is you, your kids, or some professional who comes in and out of your spaces. Someone must clean all those pieces in all your spaces. And coming from a professional cleaning lady who deals with this every year, all that shit does is collect more dust and take up space. By purchasing those new decorations, you’re about to cause a whole lotta’ stress for other people and yourself! So, you better freaking LOVE WHATEVER YOU PURCHASE!  Do you need it? Probably not. But You want it. You want something new. You think it will make you feel better! I know, I feel you! I love redecorating my house for the holidays and bringing new pieces into my design. Especially since I have been renting the same home for over 8 years. It does bring a sense of newness to my spaces! But I try not to bring a new piece in unless I get rid of somethings first. Before you clutter your home with another trinket you really need to consider decluttering first! Keep this mindset and you’ll be okay…
  • “OUT WITH THE OLD & IN WITH THE NEW!” You must get rid of old stuff before you purchase new stuff. Make room for new items by getting rid of some items that no longer serve their purpose. Do you know how much money you could save if you sold the item you want to replace? Even if you gave it away for a fraction of the price, you are putting money you didn’t have towards your new items. It’s like free money for new purchases. This can be hard to do, I know. Some things have sentiment. I totally get it! But listen, you can donate or sell your personal items to someone who really needs it. I imagine that my old items which no longer serve me, keep their sentiment when they serve someone who is in need. When I separated from my kid’s dad after 14 years, I took nothing from our home when I left him. I had to start all over and it was a struggle! But every piece I got, was from a thrift store, or a hand me down from a relative, friend, friend of a relative, or clients. And I can tell you this, I appreciated it so much more, because of the story behind each item. It added sentiment and culture to my new place and gave a new beginning to all my spaces. So, consider giving stuff away, donating, and decluttering your spaces before you bring in new pieces. Look at each space with purpose and remember every item you bring into your spaces should have purpose. Create spaces that cultivate your creativity and promote good energy by thinking of each room with purpose. Allow your children and others in your home to have a voice too. Don’t dictate an environment that other people also have to live in. Be considerate and humble of those living with you, those that clean for you, or other service workers. Being kind and humble to others will bring joy to your own life. Sometimes relinquishing control helps us enjoy the moments of life with a sense of peace. To be mindful is to have clarity and clarity is power. So, now go off and declutter, clean, and get organized for the year. Spring is here, so add those new holiday pieces, but after you have made space for them. Enjoy your beautiful home and be blessed in peace with family and friends.
  • EVEN YOUR BEAUTIFUL HOMES DESERVE YOUR RESORT STYLE TREATMENT If you are in the Southwest Florida area, I offer Aromatherapy cleaning and home watch services. If you would like to learn more about that please contact me here.

SPRING CLEANING TIPS FOR 2023

CHRISTINA DITZEL Leave a comment

THIS IS WHY IT’S DIFFICULT TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN

WELCOME TO MY PROFESSINAL CLEANING TIPS

With Easter just around the corner, I ask myself, “Why do so many people do ‘SPRING CLEANING’?” Like really, once a year we do a deep cleaning just before Easter? That’s right, Easter is just around the corner, and you’re going to deep clean your home, just to make a mess with Easter eggs, DECORATIONS, and entertainment. Year after year, we find ourselves in the same cycle of “spring cleaning”.

Oh wait! That’s not all! Mothers’ day follows right behind in May, then 4th of July, then we get about 3 months to relax (unless you have birthday celebrations between July and October). Because, in OCTOBER we have Halloween (or hollows eves). Then thanksgiving comes just around the corner and then the largest holiday of the year comes! That’s right, Christmas! And you know what else is coming? All the ornaments, trees, gifts, wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and all the things we pile up, year after year! But wait it doesn’t end there! WE STILL HAVE New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day! LET’S BRING IN THE CONFFETTI!!! Then we do it all over again! And you wait until April to clean, and you never really have a clean and organized home. It’s a constant cycle that is now our yearly routine.

But may I ask you a question? “Why in the world do so many of you wait until March & April to clean up the mess from all those holidays”? You Had all of January and February to get some “much needed” organizing done. Or, you could have organized before Christmas came around. You know the saying, “OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW”! It is always best to let go of things before you bring new things in the home.

So, “Why do we wait until Spring to clean up the mess that the holiday traffic brings in”? And furthermore, how can we avoid the unorganized chaos from occurring year after year? Well, I am about to give you some easy tips and tricks to keep your home organized and clean year-round, so you have less clutter and even less dust.

Stop Wasting Time Doing Mondain Chores!

We don’t realize it, but year after year we are wasting time spring cleaning. There is a much easier way to keep our homes clean, without having to deep clean every year. Just to bring in all those holiday decorations with dusty storage boxes that hold all our ornaments. You know those places are dusty and have bugs, spiders, lizard poop, and whatever else we don’t even pay attention to! So now that I just brought it to your attention, why do you think you only clean your house once a year? Aren’t you exhausted from the deep cleaning trends that keep us doing the same thing year after year? Well, I know I am! But then again, every time I begin cleaning anything in my home, I end up moving future and rearranging things! So, who am I to judge you on when you clean or how often you organize?

Well, I am not here to judge you at all! I honestly don’t care what you do. In fact, I am here to help you get your home organization and clean, so you don’t have to keep spending your spring break cleaning up, just to prepare for your Easter Holiday that is just a couple weeks away.

However, I have been cleaning homes since I was a little girl when I went with my mom to work, who was a cleaning lady. Then when I started my first cleaning company in 2004, I cleaned for apartment complexes, realtors, I did vacation rentals (which were very strict on the cleanliness of their rentals.) then I got into residential, and then RV’s. and boats. The only thing I haven’t gotten into was Private jets. Trust me I tried, but the insurance required to clean a private jet was insanely expensive, and I just didn’t see the value in that.

SO, I have been cleaning for years. So, LET’S GET INTO MY TIPS

These might seem like common sense to some of you, but most of you won’t do this. But I have done this, and my daughters do too, (for the most part) and my home always looks pretty put together.

DAILY ROUTINES THAT MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER! YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO DEEP CLEAN AGAIN!

“THE LORD SAYS Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Listen, as parents, we must bring up our children to clean up after themselves, so it’s routine for them as adults. And parents, you must be the example. So, The following are some tips that will help you maintain your home year round!

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME CLEAN & ORGANIZED ALL YEAR

So, you never have to deep clean again, unless you’re redecorating! Here is my quick tips. I have also included links to products that I use to keep my life simplified.

  1. PICK UP AFTER YOURSELVES – WE KNOW THIS BUT IM GONNA SAY IT ANYWAY… Rule #1 in my house is: “PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF”! PICK UP YOUR SHIT OR YOUR SHIT WILL GET PUT IN THE DUMPSTER!Bottom line, no if’s, and’s, or but’s! It really is that simple! Pick up after yourself!
  2. EVERY MORNING MAKE YOUR BED – DON’T SLACK HERE! What you start you should finish. When your done sleeping, complete the task by making the bed. Love your bedding and you will be more likely to take of it! I love my Calvin Klien Pillows and blankets and so do my daughters. We just love CK bedding. I always get the best deals here
  3. BATHROOM – HANG WET TOWELS TO DRY OR FOLD IT AND PLACE IT ON BATHTUB. You can also throw them in the dryer for 10 minutes. (You can reuse towels 2 or 3 times for less laundry). USE STORAGE FOR HAIR STUFF, AND SKIN CARE PRODUCTS. KEEP ORANIZED (EVERYTHING SHOUD HAVE A PLACE)
  4. DROP ZONE – JUNK DRAWERS /BASKETS/STORAGE BOXES ECT. Have drop zones that have easy access for kids, dog toys, blankets, pillows, ect. Make new habits this year by keeping your kitchen clean and tidy using these great pantry stackable to keep kids snacks and drinks organized.
  5. CLUTTER – GET RID OF WHAT YOU HAVE NO USE FOR. Spring cleaning consists of getting rid of junk. So get rid of it, and stop purchasing more crap you don’t really need. Get rid of stuff before you make any new purchases. (“out with the old first, then in with the new”)
  6. FLOORS = Swiffer/vacuum every night IF YOU HAVE PETS! At least every other day with kids and heavy traffic. Floor dust blows around and is the main contributor to all your dust consumption. I LOVE my Bissel vacuum because I don’t have to worry about bags, and I can clean the canister, and the filter is washable! So, I never get that “dog smell” when I vacuum.
  7. DISHES = ALL DISHES BELONG IN THE DISHWASHER OR PUT AWAY. Again, put your shit away! (It helps to limit only one glass a day per person. 1 glass, 1 mug, one plate, etc. (Rinse and put aside for later) My youngest daughter will use the same cup of water all day. We only drink water in our house unless we have hot tea or coffee. But for the most part we use the same glass, or cup for the day.
  8. LAUNDRY– A LOAD A DAY WILL KEEP THE LOADS AWAY. If you can do one load in the morning or in the evening, you won’t have so many piles of laundry weekly. The kids are more likely to put 3 to 5 pieces of laundry away rather than a pile from the whole week or a few weeks. Manage the clothes daily, and you won’t have clothes piling up or laying all over the place.

EVERYTHING TAKES PRACTICE

So, everything takes practice and new routines require accountability and consistency. Everyone needs to be held accountable for their own mess and cleaning up after themselves. Here are some tips to manage your daily chores each week. I promise, this will help you maintain a cleaner home and your family will thank you later, because they will never have to deep clean again!

  1. MAKE YOURSELF and EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE A SCHEDULE and stick to it! IF YOU KEEP UP WITH IT, IT’LL NEVER GET OUT OF HAND. I made an easy WEEKLY CHORE PLANNER HERE that includes for following

    1. MORNING CHORES –     
      1. BEDROOM – DETAILS INCLUDE MAKE BED AND MORE
      1. KITCHEN – UNLOAD DISHWASHER
      1. LIVING AREA – FOLD BLANKETS, PICK UP SNACKS, CUPS, ETC.
      1. LAUNDRY – DO A LOAD OF LAUNDRY
    1. EVENING CHORES –
      1. Load dishwasher & Vacuum (if you have pets. If you don’t have pets, it depend if you wear HOW TO KEEP FLOORS CLEAN don’t wear shoes in the house video, vacuum, Swiffer, moping, keeping dogs groomed etc.)
      1. Fold the clothes from morning and throw a load in from the day.
        1. If you keep up with the laundry your kids are more likely to put away a few things vs a ton of loads you do once a week, ones every few weeks or once a month. “A load a day, keeps the heavy loads aways” (for everyone)

KEEP UP WITH LAUNDRY- THAT IS SOOO IMPORTANT FOR KEEPING A HOME TIDY. I THINK CLOTHES CAUSES THE MOST MESS. I CREATED A CLEANING checklist and planner with a complete schedule so that you and your family can maintain your entire home year-round. Get this planner and stop wasting time deep cleaning year after year. Get more peace of mind, clarity, and create a home life that is organized, clean, happy and healthy all year long.

GET MORE DETAILS HERE

HOW TO RECOVER FROM HEROIN. WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T

CHRISTINA DITZEL Leave a comment

IS RECOVERY EVEN POSSIBLE?

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Yes, you can recover from heroin! I know this because I did it and I did it without any other medications or rehab centers. I don’t know how long you have been down this rabbit hole, but I can tell you it is possible to dig yourself out! Recovery is always possible no matter what your addiction is. You just have to be willing to do the work that comes with overcoming the addiction. And you can’t pick up other habits in the process! When you quite something you quite with intention. Let me ask you this, “What is waiting on the other side of your recovery”?  Think about that for a minute. You better make plans that are enticing enough to keep you from “Feenin”. Because if you do have something amazing to look forward to, you’ll fight harder. Please here me when I say, “I don’t mean a girl or guy” I don’t mean that great job you’ll have waiting for you, or any tangible or material things. All those things are temporary pleasures and if or when they fail, you will have reasons to go back to your spiral of addicted behavior. Think of achieving something for yourself when you recover. Be realistic! Think of things that won’t fail or leave you craving that “fix”. Quitting intentionally means doing this for yourself not for anyone or anything else. Changing your behavior patterns means that you don’t set yourself up for failure later. It means you don’t attach yourself to people or things that could potentially cause you harm later and cause you to relapse.

WHAT DOESN’T WORK FOR ADDICTS

I am so tired of the advice that is out there trying to help people “recover”. And here we see people who are in recovery forever! First, can I just say, “there is no one size fits all”! We don’t all heal the same. Remember that! So, what worked for me, may not work for you or your family member. You may hate my advice and it may seem completely out of the ordinary, but as someone who has overcome many different addictions, (sex, drugs, money, men, drinking, etc.) I can offer advice that worked for me. I love my own advice because I know it can work for those who have tried other programs without any success. I haven’t seen much success any other way. I honestly believe if rehab centers would change their ideas about addiction and recovery, they would have more success.

So, with all that said, let’s make one thing clear, you CAN NOT AND WILL NOT recover from anything if you keep freaking talking about it!!!! STOP CALLING YOURSELF AN ADDICT! STOP SAYING YOU’RE A “RECOVERED DRUG ADDICT or ALCOHOLIC” LOSE THE DAM LABELS! They called me an addict and an alcoholic, they called me bipolar, they said I was depressed, and put me on medications, and they were wrong! In fact, I have a full bar in my house and I have total control of myself. But if I want a dam glass of wine with my dinner, you better believe I am going to have a glass of wine with my dinner! I have never been happier, I stress less than the average human, and I am sitting here drinking a nice hot cup of tea by choice! Did you hear what I said? BY CHOICE! You have to learn how to make better choices! And to do that you must also know why you make the choices you do. I have learned to have control of my habits because I have lost the labels other people put on me. Why you do certain things has a lot to do with other people and the influence they have on you. I am not going to say it again, LOSE THE LABELS and lose the people who place labels on you.

Why don’t you just call your addiction, bad behavior patterns? Because that is all they are,” BAD HABITS”. Bad behavior patterns are learned behaviors. And we pick up behaviors due to circumstances in our life, people influencing us, trauma, and many other reasons. But if we can learn a behavior we can unlearn them too. Dah! Wouldn’t it be easier to quit a bad habit, vs staying in “recovery” and collecting your little coins month after month, year after year? “Yea let’s collect a jar of coins to remind me every freaking day how fucked up I am!!! That sounds like a grand-ol’ ldea!” That is ridiculous!! IT’S STUPID!

Is this why we go through those horrible withdraws? Just to struggle to stay sober, to go through depression, and to continue to be stressed about not being high? Why do we have to go through that for the rest of our life just because we picked up a bad habit that we can actually overcome with the right training.  No instead we sit around and feel sorry for ourselves with counselors who are like “Oh let’s talk about your feelings today”. WHAT FEELINGS? I have been walking around numb for years you ass hole!!! I think I’d rather NOT!

WHAT ARE YOU REPLACING YOUR ADDICITON WITH?

Like let’s be real here, think about this for a second. Like “what kind of life are you replacing for your addiction”? Is it going to be worth it? Is it going to be amazing? Will you have something to look forward to when you wake up each morning and go to sleep at night? Because if you don’t decide to replace your old habits with a new life, the only life you will have waiting for you is the rollercoaster ride of being codependent, bipolar, and the constant struggle of trying to force yourself not to have a craving!!! Let me tell you this, the first week of withdraws from Heroin freaking sucks, and that is not even the worst part! So, you better have a dam good reason to jump on that recovery train if you ever want to get yourself on the other side of that!

Let’s not even talk about the depression from having to cope with life sober! HAHA That’s fun! You will have to learn how to cope with life differently. Learn to love yourself before you love others. Find new friends. Lose some people in your life. Replace bad habits by discovering new HOBBIES. Like, you have to learn to really love yourself and know what you want in and out of your life. You better get very clear, make a plan, and write it down, because your body will try to change your mind several times before this journey is over. Let me add one positive here before you jump off this blog scared to even try. One thing you can look forward to is a sober mind. There is nothing compared to being present with the people you love on a sober level. The mentality of people you meet and the conversations you have are incomparable. The connections you embrace will better than any high from extasy, special K, and heroin put together (and yes I have done all three and more in one night). I am just saying!!!! I won’t even mention how amazing sober sex is because you’re not there yet, but dam! Life lived sober, is so much clearer, and clarity is power my friend.

THE RIGHT AND WRONG WAY TO RECOVER

Okay so doing it on my own was probably stupid on my part! I almost died in my apartment alone. But thank God I had a few good people who looked out for me and when they didn’t hear from me for a day or two, they came looking for me. I didn’t want a rehab center, because I knew they would medicate me. I saw too many friends in rehab and watched them relapse repeatedly or die of an overdoses. That to me, was like torture! Let me tell some of you who are unaware (program directors, counselors, family members, friends, etc.), when you relapse, you are worse off than where you were before, because the high you feel after you get the drug out of your system, is amazing. Not to mention the antidepressant pills the rehab center gives its patients, mix very well with heroin and other substances.

Point being, I wanted nothing to do with that! So rehab was “out” for me! There was no way I was paying someone to put me in a casket. However, you do need a support group that won’t leave you but will push you harder than you push yourself. Again, rehab centers won’t support you when you are out of the program. Trust me I witnessed this myself. But I won’t throw out names on my blog. God will deal with those individuals. Let me be clear when I say the support group you choose must be willing to break into your apartment to make sure your alive! They must be distracting you with activities and things that are fun, educational, and stimulate your mind, body, and soul. You don’t need those friends or family members who only want to be around you, when they need something from you, or when they feel you’re doing something wrong! Don’t hang around people who want to make themselves feel better at the expense of hurting you! You can’t be around people who are a constant reminder of why you got high in the first place. “To numb out the noise!” Stop talking about shit that depresses you, makes you angry, or stresses you out! And don’t be around people who drag you down! I’m tired of saying this! LOSE THE DRAMA OR LOSE YOUR LIFE!!!! It’s really that simple!

Also, Lose the ego and the winning! Put your big boy/girl pants on and suck it up, because it’s not going to be easy! I’m sick of people in recovery winning! You got yourself into this mess, now you need to get yourself out of it. If you’re truly interested in recovering, you will do whatever it takes without the pity party!

Yes! Tough love!!! That is what helped me! Sugar coating is the new trend in this society and it’s exhausting! Sugar coating doesn’t help people recover; it just pushes them off the deep end! I’ve lost too many people to “sugar coat recovery”! If you ever want to recover from Heroin (or any addiction), you have to become the hero of your own story! No one is coming to save you. You probably shit on too many people when you got high, and they don’t trust you now. Unfortunately, that’s on you! Own it and move on. Addicts are liars and that is what they tell you in rehab centers. So basically, they are telling you they don’t trust you. So, they will always question your motives. keep that in mind! You must change your own motives and forget what other people say about you and your motives. Because trust me when I say, “everyone has an opinion! And people will have a lot to say about you behind your back”.

Remember this, every Hero has a traumatic event occur before they had the power and energy to beat the villain. Think of Heroin as your Villain! It may be destroying you now; it may steal all your energy, it may be your kryptonite and consume you, but you have the power inside you to go up against this and win the battle of dependance! Don’t have expectations for people to support you when you’re too weak to support yourself, and don’t ever give up on yourself when you feel unstable. You only have yourself to encourage or to blame for your thoughts and actions. Choose to encourage yourself to keep going and continue to build a life you can look forward to. Stay strong in your mind and force your body to follow. That is the only way to overcome any addiction.

I wish you the best of luck, feel free to message me if you have any questions, or just go to christinaditzel.blog for more reading material or podcast. Follow me on YouTube and watch for new and upcoming videos on Cleaning, Clarity, Girl Talk and Vlogs.

Much love and prayers to all who have suffered and died from addiction. May we beat this together and overcome the bad habits that consume us!

THERE IS A HERO AND A VILLIAN INSIDE EACH OF US, WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

CHRISTINA DITZEL Leave a comment

Photo by Roy Reyna on Pexels.com

I heard this saying once and it stuck with me “How can one man define another man’s insanity when each man within himself is insane?” That statement got me thinking, how does one become insane? Contrary to what some religious people may say, a baby is born into this world and is innocent. For those that want to go on a tangent and argue about this, please go read your Christmas story!

We are not sinners because we were born, we become sinners when society introduces a child to sinful nature. When a grown man puts a little girl on his lap and she feels him pressing his hard cock into her, seeds are being planted in her little mind. That child’s body is now experiencing feelings she doesn’t know how to control. When that same child grows into a teenager, and another man does not ask permission to touch her body, but he chooses to take it aggressively and then physically beats her afterwards, seeds are being planted into that young girl. When years go by and she meets another man who leaves her homeless with two children, seeds are being planted in that women. So now I ask you, how many seeds do you think need to be planted before a villain or hero is born?  

I turned 46 years old this year. Boy, do they go by in a blink! I’ve learned that life comes in seasons and every season is temporary. Life is not worth stressing over because there will always be good times ahead and more bad times ahead. There will always be things we have control over, and things we don’t have control over. Most of us have powers we don’t know about because we have become obsessed with everyone else’s success stories, believing we will never measure up. Seeing the impossible doesn’t make us believe in ourselves anymore, or any less. It just leaves us confused about our own worth. Many of us become reckless when things don’t work out for us but work out for someone, we think doesn’t deserve it.

A SUPERHERO OR A VILLIAN IS BORN

The world is full of Villain’s and Hero’s. Every day someone makes a choice, and that choice is made with a motive or a purpose. I have said it in previous blogs and videos, that “we each have gifts and talents we just need to practice them”. Unfortunately, most people never reach their full potential because they are trying to be like everyone else. Forgetting about their own talents, trying to morph themselves into someone else. Let me ask you a question, “what if wonder women spent her life trying to be like super girl?” Wonder Women stands for love, peace, and true equality. Although super girl has immense strength, was very successful, talented and was remarkable, super strength was not her main superpower. Wonder Women’s physical strength can’t be matched. Can you imagine if Wonder Women gave up all her strength and wisdom to be like Super Girl? How much time do you think she would spend trying to master heat vision and super breath to freeze people? How many battles do you think she would have lost if she went on thinking she had super hearing and X-ray vision? Wonder Women would have missed out on saving the world if she wasted her time trying to be like Super Girl. And vice versa!

So why do we sit and watch these heroes and villains on TV and yet still we don’t realize that a villain is created when hurt people, hurt other people. And similarly, a hero is created when a good person chooses to embrace their own gifts and talents for the good of others. In the beginning a baby is born. He or she will begin on a journey in life, and that journey will include many different experiences. Life experiences will sculpt a person’s thoughts and ideas. Those thoughts and ideas will be the core of that persons character and the choices they make. So based on your own life experiences, what choices are you making? Are you choosing to become the villain? Or are you a born hero? I believe it is wise for us to sit alone with ourselves at some point in our journey, and ask ourselves this question. Who do I want to be?

YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR CHARACTER, BUT NOT YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS

We all have an opportunity in this journey of life, and that opportunity is CHOICE! We are all born with special abilities. We are not all the same, but when we join together, we can have very powerful results. The point of this life is not to be robots and try to fit into everyone else’s shoes. In fact, I bet if you had the opportunity to live the life of another, you would decline if you had any detail of their experiences. The choices they’ve had to make would not be your choices. The truth is, you would have to go through every experience that person went through and make their same choices to actually see life through their eyes. And even after that, you still wouldn’t measure up because you were not born with the same life-force, nature, or personality to understand those choices. So, your actions and reactions would be different. You see, you were not born with certain abilities, and while you sit and waste your precious time trying to learn someone else’s skill, you are actually diminishing your own. By choosing NOT to nurture and advance your own skillsets, you are choosing to become a villain. Every time you put yourself in a situation where things don’t turn out in your favor, you lose. And every time you lose at this thing we call life, you become bitter, angry, and obsessed with forcing things to go your way. And again, when that forceful nature doesn’t give you the results you expected, you become enraged with disappointment.

You can choose your character (Villain or Hero), but you don’t get to choose your gifts and talents (these are your superpowers). If more people in this world would embrace who they were born to be, I believe we would have a lot more heroes than villains in this world. I believe we could in fact create a sort of “Heaven on Earth” atmosphere. Embrace your true essence! We can’t continue to be afraid of not being worthy or enough to do big things. It is not enough to feel unworthy when you were born worthy enough! Steward your skills well and watch your abilities grow to be even greater than the ones you try to mimic. When we work harder at being like everyone else, we are only working hard at dimming someone else’s light so we can eventually over shine them. That is Villain mentality! But when we embrace our own Hero inside, we can partner with those we admire and shine brighter in the darkness by working together.

Remember this, there is a hero and villain in each of us. The best stories were the ones where the villain and hero worked together for the greater good of both worlds. We can all have a little villain and a little hero, but the intention (the motive and the purpose) must be for the greater good of ALL in the end!

WHAT DOES FEAR OF THE LORD ACTUALLY MEAN?

CHRISTINA DITZEL Leave a comment

“When the people He created start planting good seeds, a harvest of fresh fruit will grow. But those that produce bad seeds, will harvest weeds that will overflow and never produce any fruit.”

Photo by Luis Mendez on Pexels.com

Well, can I start by saying Fear of the Lord sure doesn’t mean the Wrath of God is going to come upon you for being human. But it does mean you may want to be mindful of the seeds you’re planting in your life, and in others. I am so tired of “Churchy people” giving false messages and speaking Jesus’s name at the center of fear! God should be at the center of all you do, YES! But God is LOVE! NOT FEAR. Let me make that very clear!

Now, to add to that statement, let me just say, YES, there is a certain way God wants us to live our life. But some people make this so mystical that the average person never feels worthy to take the journey. In fact, salvation is the reason Jesus came to earth. So that, you, me, and EVERYONE may have an opportunity for salvation in this life. Let me give you the definition of salvation since so called “Jesus followers” will try to manipulate this…

“Let those who have ears, Hear.”

WHAT IS SALVATION?

  • Definition #1 Preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.
  • Definition #2 A source or means of being saved from harm, ruin, or loss.

This is where freaking church people really manipulate you.  “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Their words are not encouraging, nor do they offer any long-term salvation. They keep you stuck in your mess, and you never actually move forward. The bible has a lot to say about our tongues being a sharp knife. You should read it sometime. Your tongue gives life or death to people and their situations. So, whatever comes out of your mouth better come from a fruitful and fulfilling place because you just might be destroying Gods plan for His creation.

Contrary to some beliefs, most of these so-called prophesying Jesus followers, are hostile, ignorant, and lack common sense, and enthusiasm for this life. WHICH GOD CREATED! So let me add this statement, harm, ruin, and loss look very different to each of us. (BASED ON THE BODY AND LIFE HE GAVE US) Everyone’s circumstances are different, and we were not created the same. There are no two people the same in this world. Not even twins are the same. But that is an entirely new topic we can save for another day.  

Salvation is being delivered (saved, freed, unchained) from a life that is unfulfilling and stressful. When you are saved, you are introduced to a life with possibilities. Eventually, once you begin walking freely, you become unchained from the world’s expectations for your life. Did you hear what I said? “The worlds expectations for your life”. When you have been unchained from everyone else’s expectations, you will begin to choose the paths less traveled, and those paths offer abundance.

However, abundance also means something different to each of us. Jesus tells us that he sent an advocate to help us make better decisions. That advocate is the holy spirit. The Holy Spirit is our guided intuition.  Here me when I say, your intuition holds the key to achieving the desires of your heart and your ego will try to distract you. The path you choose leads you to a life of abundance or a life of complete misery. The only way you discover the true desires of your heart, and live in abundance, is when we choose to release all the negative and bad stuff going on in this world and focus on the good things God has prepared for you.

I can prove it! Jesus gave Wisdom in a verse to help you live an abundant life. It goes something like this, “I came to this World, so that you may have life and live it more Abundantly.” Another verse says, “The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy.” Here is a simple question, what is destroying you? Or better yet, what brings joy to your heart? What does living more abundantly mean to you? The Lord also said, “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Meaning, set your mind on things that are heavenly (divine, delightful, lovely, etc.) This comes naturally once you DECIDE to listen to wisdom and develop the 9 fruits of the spirit.  

Oh, what are the 9 fruits of the spirit, you ask?

Well, It’s “LOVE JOY PEACE PATIENCE KINDNESS GOODNESS GENTLENESS FAITHFULNESS AND SELF-CONTROL”

So how can we experience a life lived in abundance? Easy, by not bringing attention to the worldly things that destroy your personal spirit, but rather living a life that represents these 9 qualities in your spirit. How do we do that? Again, easy! By using the advocate. You will know it is coming from the Holy Spirit when your thoughts, desires and actions represent love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and when you maintain self-control through it all. You produce good fruit by encouraging the broken hearted and keeping your heart on things above. It really is simple, it’s just not that easy to choose the narrow path. Or the path less traveled.

YOUR EGO KEEPS YOUR HEART CHAINED TO BITTERNESS

Proverbs 14:10 says “Each heart knows its own bitterness and no one else can share its joy.” Meaning, no one in this world can share the things that bring Joy to your heart, if your own ego keeps your heart chained to bitterness. It shows in your words and actions. What comes out of your heart pours out of your mouth and onto others. Stop being bitter, angry, hatful people. Stop regarding everything in this world as bad and negative. Stop reminding people of the bad shit going on! I am pretty sure we are all aware evil exists. God created this world, good and evil, and it all has purpose. People with bad attitudes make it ugly! People who have wisdom make it a time to grow and learn in the storms. Being curious and full of wonder is the only way to experience abundance.

There will always be bad things happening in this world, and every world beyond our little galaxy, because people have the free will to make choices. Can I also say you are not the only one struggling! Every soul experience difficult times. There will always be a season for learning, a season for growing, a season for laughter, a season for mourning, and a season to celebrate. There is a season for everything under the sun. If you don’t believe me, check out Ecclesiastes chapter 3. Do you think God makes mistakes? When the people He created start planting good seeds, a harvest of fresh fruit will grow. But those that produce bad seeds, will harvest weeds that will overflow and never produce any fruit. So, salvation is setting your thoughts on everything and anything that is GOOD…. To start over means to renew your mind so you can harvest good fruit. 

Remember this…

What’s good for YOU is NOT good for the crew. I will get to the part where I tell you what fearing God really means,

but I must first tell you this…

AFTER SALVATION

So, after you decide to choose the path of salvation/recovery, (becoming new, changing your ways, etc.) you will have to make some new choices and decisions based on what “salvation” looks like to YOU (not to your neighbor, not your sister, not your brother, not your friends, not social media influencers, or anyone else, just YOU). What area of life do you need change? (Relational, financial, health, mental, is there an addiction you need to overcome? etc.) This is different for everyone no matter what religious people or churchy people say! Life comes in seasons and seasons change. And even though we walk this world together, we experience it differently because of the lens we look through.

A true follower of Christ knows they must shadow the footsteps that Jesus left behind. Did you ever see your shadow do something you didn’t do? Living by his teaching, guides a path that is pure and easy. He says his burden will be light. I promise you; life is light once you realize everything happens for you and not to you.

TOO MUCH INFORMATION CLOUDS OUR JUDGEMENT

Unfortunately, our paths get clouded by all the information given out today and it becomes clouded by all the opinions of other people. It’s not just our parents and teachers who influence our beliefs and ideology. No, it’s this entire world of people with different cultures and beliefs. Some of them with no filter and no moral values or respect toward others or their circumstances. Some people live with big egos and have the audacity to call it the holy spirit guiding them. So many people representing Jesus by screaming radical beliefs behind fear. This only creates more weeds in the wilderness, not fruit from the true vine.  

Can I just say to those who are in a season of darkness right now, the holy spirit is not arrogant, selfish, fearful, or boastful. The chaos in this world is not created to harm you but to strengthen you. Jesus didn’t come here to get famous. He became famous because his teachings made people feel safe and helped people overcome their fears. His teachings were healing, they were encouraging, and they sent people off with a new outlook on their personal circumstances, and their future. It gave them hope in the midst of their storm, so they could keep going with faith that everything was going to be okay. He never shoved scripture, laws, or rules, down people’s throat. He shared good news about the kingdom of heaven and said, “whoever has ears let them hear”.

Salvation does not give permission for anyone to be a bully! So many people get saved and forget where they met Jesus. I apologize for their arrogance and ignorance.

Salvation is just making the choice to change the steps you take from the time you wake up in the morning, to the time you go to sleep at night. It’s not looking back on the people you hang with, the places you’ve been or the things you’ve done. Yes, those people and places impact you and they can have a positive or negative affect on your life. It means you must constantly forget all the harmful people, places and things in your life and leave them in the past where they belong. Let go and Let God! To have a renewing of the mind you must find new people, new places, and new things that bring nothing but joy to your heart and encourage the soul. Protecting your heart is the most important part of the journey. This has nothing to do with anyone else! This has nothing to do with what they think is true or not true!  Your walk in this life is between you and God and that is it!!! Stop worrying what other people will think! Salvation is releasing the past and stepping into a new you! All those people with opinions, have no place in your future. The next step is where you discover Fear of the Lord. You will have to let go of all human beliefs so you can adapt to Gods plan. Which is the only way to abundance.  

WHAT IS FEAR OF THE LORD

Proverbs 15:33 tells us “Fear of the Lord teaches Wisdom” It continues by saying “Humility precedes Honor.”

The bible is constantly telling us to get wisdom. This verse tells us that when we are afraid of the Lord, we learn wisdom. We are not scared of his wrath! We fear the consequences of our bad decision making because we know there will be consequences. We will always face consequences when we go back to our old ways or do something outside of what we know was right. It’s kind of common sense! You get these signs and wonders for your own life when you read the “Word” properly.

I personally Believe fearing the Lord means, we keep searching Him out in our own life. We get deep into the word and when we read it, we hear instructions on how we are supposed to walk in our own life. Please hear me when I say, we are not supposed to read the word so we can point the finger at everyone who lives outside our belief system. The word was not created for other people, it was created for you and your personal growth.  

We should strive to become more like Jesus, so we can be less like our selves. Our “earthly being” is tainted by temptations and desires, and we need to learn self-control to overcome our urges and impulsive behaviors.  Fear of the Lord means you know better, you strive to do better, and you become a better version of yourself every day. Again, not so you can point the finger at other people and have a big ego, but so you can grow in Christ.

You make the choice to forgive those who treat you badly, but you also protect yourself by not enabling them to continue to hurt you, but instead dismiss them from your life. Yes, there is a scripture on letting your enemy smack you across the face 7 times 7 times. I know! I have wrestled with this verse for years! Ugh, we really must discern (distinguish) between the people who are giving us constructive criticism (giving a healthy assessment and positive view on life), and those who are just wicked (giving an unhealthy perception and negative views of life). He doesn’t want you to burden yourself with people who benefit themselves at the cost of losing your own joy in spirit. That is evil and not good, and you need to eliminate all toxic people from your life.

Keep in mind, the places you hang around govern your thoughts. The things you think of will determine your actions. Be very careful and surround yourself in environments that keep your mind clean, genuine, authentic, and in absolute enthusiasm to learn. Be wise in your decision making. Where your flesh wonders your mind goes. So, keep your mind safe by walking in places that bring clarity and wonder.

THIS IS FEARING THE LORD

Fearing the Lord means making difficult decisions today because you know it will benefit your life tomorrow. You fear the Lord by making difficult decisions for his good and perfect will for your life and His Kingdom. Choosing Gods path is sometimes very difficult, but the burden is light because in the end, you will have peace, and your heart will be filled with joy. There will be no more pain and suffering. When you follow His teachings, you discover His Will for your life. Your faith becomes stronger in the storms of life because you’ve witnessed the miracles before. You are confident in knowing Him so you trust Him no matter what path you’re on.

To fear him is to love him so much that you want to do good by him. You make wiser choices because you want to please him by the way you live your life. It’s like a child who wants to make his/her parents proud. God doesn’t want you around certain people because they don’t bring you joy. He doesn’t want you going to certain places or doing certain things because it is more harmful than good for your life. “For the Lord knows the plans he has for you. To prosper you not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Maybe you are being asked to eliminate some people from your life this season. Maybe some people have some heart work to do on themselves before you can be around them again. Maybe you’re not strong enough in self-control to go to certain places. Maybe He has a better place for you to work or a better partner in life. Whatever it is God is asking you to do this season, listen to the still small voice inside you and do the thing. Even if you don’t see any results right away, God has a purpose and a season for everything under the sun. Allow the holy spirit to guide you. Remember, the Lord will give and take away for the good of his people.

He won’t just take your troubles away, heal you from illnesses, or change conditions and circumstances. He will take away things that are not serving you and give you the life He knows you are worthy of! The life he created you for. But you have to be willing to do the hard things. It’s easy to do the hard things when you fear him enough to trust that he knows what he is doing. Get wisdom, have self-control, and know that everything was created for his good and faithful servant. “The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.” (Proverbs 16) So, choose to humble yourself this year by being honest about your bad decision making in the past. Own your part! But then choose to have a renewing of the mind and make better choices moving forward.

Let go of your old ways and put on confidence in your new ways…

“When the people He created start planting good seeds, a harvest of fresh fruit will grow.
But those that produce bad seeds, will harvest weeds that will overflow and never produce any fruit.”