Take Care of Yo Sh*t!

I never referred clients to one of my former colleagues, even though he had a good reputation as a therapist. Why? Because his habits outside the therapy room made me wary. His office was a disaster, with books, papers, coffee cups, and lunch dishes littered about the room. He wasn’t mindful about leaving old food in the fridge and dirty dishes in our shared kitchen. His appearance was often disheveled, and he looked as if he didn’t shower or wash his hair regularly. If he was a good therapist, why should these things matter? If someone lacks attention to their appearance and their surroundings, there is likely chaos going on internally as well. It’s hard for a therapist to guide someone else through their therapeutic issues when they are not simultaneously working through their own.

What does your external environment say about you? How are you taking care of your home, your vehicle, and your physical body? I believe our internal and external environments are reflective of one another. The good news is, changing one will inevitably bring about change in the other. If you take steps to alleviate your internal chaos, you will notice your environment starting to shift into something more peaceful. If you start to tidy up your surroundings and your circumstances, you will notice your internal landscape calming as well. 

**I want to add that there is a flip side to this coin. Someone who is overly meticulous about their environment is also likely to be internally high-strung and uptight. The key is finding balance.