The thought that made me love cleaning

For most of my adult life, I have loved having a clean space but hated cleaning. Sometimes this tension meant I would avoid cleaning for a long time and then go manic, making everything perfect. Other times I keep up with things for a little while but then fizzle out. My methods for solving the tension never worked.

Then, I read How to Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty, and my perspective changed. Jay said:

If something, like cleaning up after the cows, made me uncomfortable, instead of turning away, I pushed myself to understand the feelings that lay at the root of my discomfort. I quickly identified my hatred for some of the most mundane chores as an ego issue. I thought them a waste of time when I could be learning. Once I admitted this to myself, I could explore whether cleaning had anything to offer me. Could I learn from a mop? Practice Sanskrit verse while planting potatoes? In the course of my chores, I observed that mop heads need to be completely flexible in order to get into every space and corner. Not every task is best served by something sturdy like a broom.

Shetty, Jay. Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day (p. 94). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition.

My issue with cleaning was one of ego. It usually took the form of, “I work so hard, I can’t deal with cleaning right now.” Needless to say, that attitude wasn’t helpful and never produced the results I hoped for.