Cup of Inspiration

Have you ever reached into the back of your refrigerator for a jar of mustard, but instead found a small container of leftover potato salad from last weekend’s party? Have you ever searched for that leftover pasta from last night’s dinner, but found an old jar of sauce that you had completely forgotten about? Perhaps some of these leftovers can be combined for a unique dish (provided everything is still safe to eat.) Today, November 15^th, is Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. Today is the day to take a close look at everything in your refrigerator to determine what should stay and what needs to be tossed. Taking stock of what is still good in your refrigerator, you can then assess what you need to go out and purchase to accompany your current inventory.

While today we are focusing on the refrigerator, consider applying this concept in other areas. Before buying any more clothes for the upcoming holiday season, take a close look at what’s currently in your closet. Is your existing selection of sweaters all you need for this winter? Are there any outfits that you know you will never wear again, but are in good shape and could keep a stranger warm on a cold night? Before pulling out that credit card and taking advantage of Black Friday sales, really consider if you need that new outfit. If you can truly use it for work or an upcoming event, then you should certainly purchase it. However, consider using it to replace another outfit. Eliminate another outfit that is gathering dust in the back of your closet by donating the unused clothing to a charity for the benefit of someone who isn’t as financially blessed as you. If you don’t purchase that new outfit, you can get your money’s worth out of last year’s outfits. You can use a different combination of accessories to give yourself a fresh look with little to no new spending.

Taking stock of what you already have on hand doesn’t have to stop with your physical inventory in your house. Consider a fresh look at different areas of your life. Are there any areas where you haven’t really examined lately? For example, when was the last time you sat down and really reviewed your professional life? Are you pleased with it, feeling fulfilled, and have a plan to continue with it? If so, great job and keep moving forward. However, are you just staying on this professional path because it’s familiar, but would like to do something different? Can you use the skills from your current career track and apply them in a different field?

By cleaning out the old before going for the new, we may find ingredients that can be repurposed for a different dish, or accessories that can be combined in a different way for a new outfit. We can also see with fresh eyes if our current career path is right where we want to be or consider how skills can be used in a different way to take us on another career journey. Sometimes we must really look at what we have in the present before we pursue changes for our future.