Clean Up Your Life
As we get older, we, hopefully, get wiser. That may mean seeing people for who they truly are. Not allowing ourselves to be bamboozled or conned by niceties or phony words. It’s almost like we’ve gotten out a fluffy duster and begun cleaning up all the crap that we don’t want or need in our lives.
There comes a point in most of our lives when we take stock of things and realize we deserve to live a happy life. It can happen after a life-altering event, a painful experience, or simply because we’ve evolved emotionally and figured out what is and isn’t working.
No matter the cause, the effect should be a happy, peaceful life. Just know, though, that in life there will always be people or situations that may try to take that away. That’s not being pessimistic; it’s being rational and ready.
When we begin to clean up our lives and sweep away the old pain, it helps us to feel lighter, less burdened with all that yuck of yesteryear. We don’t need it hanging around to drag us down.
Recent events have made me acutely aware of how much I didn’t give myself the credit of being a good human being. I write these blog posts, sharing my observations and suggestions for living a happier life, and most of the time I’m writing them about things I need to learn and do.
I’m always learning and evolving into a better version of myself. How many of us can say that? I wish the numbers were higher; otherwise, we’d all be much happier living peaceful lives.
It’s no surprise to me to write that it’s mostly people who cause us angst. Situations come and go, and even the really bad ones don’t linger for too long.
We get up, dust ourselves off, and do our best to clean up the fallout from bad situations. It’s how we survive and get on living. If we don’t get rid of the bad mojo, it can cling to us, keeping us stuck and not too happy.
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1. Become aware of what’s dragging us down. Tip: Journaling is a safe way to release our thoughts.
2. Create an action plan of how we’re going to make things better. Tip: Doesn’t have to be elaborate. Small steps equal change too.
3. And whatever you do, don’t let others’ pain make you forfeit the chance to enjoy your life and be happy with yourself. Tip: You matter.
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No one has the power to make you feel bad without your consent. Read that sentence again.
Far too many of us have forgotten our right to happiness, and giving someone who does not deserve it your attention is a waste of time. And time is not infinite, so why act like it is?
Take it from me, I’ve wasted so many years allowing crap to infiltrate my mind and keep me stuck. I believe the main reason is that I’m a very observant and sensitive person. I would even say I’m an empath because I can feel what others feel a lot. It’s draining, and I found myself diluting myself or playing along to keep some sort of peace.
When I stepped out of my comfort zone and shared the real me, without filters or worrying about what someone else thought, it felt great, but scary. I’d stretch myself, then get pulled back into the comfort zone where it’s safe because something would happen that set off my “beware” signal. I’d forget I possessed the tools to get rid of the negativity and illogical thoughts and allowed the residue of the past mess up my present.
Not going to happen anymore.
We must be vigilant every day so we don’t fall into the trap of fantasizing about how things could be different if this happened or that happened. Stop that. Please. I know it’s hard to do. Believe me, I’ve been there, but putting ourselves first, watching our backs, is a form of self-care that we absolutely need to survive happily.
Little by little, I’m getting back into the swing of writing regular blog posts like I was. My father had a stroke, and it’s been tough. I want to be there to help him. I know if the situation were reversed, he’d be there for me. And I treat people the way I want to be treated. We all should do that. The world would be a much better place.
Thank you for reading this, and I would like to know what kinds of things you are willing to clean up in your life.
To cleaning up,
Francesca
Written by a human for humans.
© 2026 FrancescaME | All rights reserved.
If not noted otherwise, photos taken by Francesca M.E.
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*DISCLAIMER: FrancescaME is not a therapist or doctor, and any information shared is from personal experience, learning, and research.
If you’re suffering, please consult a mental health therapist for help. Just as our bodies need to see a doctor when we’re not well, our minds need care, too.
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