Another Top 10 Essay

This is another top 10 Essay that Flylady sent to me. I decide to include it because it not only has good information, but it's got a totally different focus than the earlier list I included. I think the social aspects they share. Many times, this issue of not having a clean house tends to keep us socially isolated from our friends and family members.

Dear FlyLady,

Mind you, there has been a lot of fluttering and flapping over the years since I've joined, and have had MANY attitude adjustments from Marla and Kelly, not to mention the help of the Flycrew, but these are my Top Ten. Amazingly enough, not many have to do with a clean house, although that's why I initially joined.These aren't in any particular order. I cherish them all.

10. Eternal youth. My kids' friends hang out here a lot, and I have time to enjoy them. They see us respect our home, and so they do too, so there goes the myth of added mess. Added bonus, I actually look "cool", knowing band names, phrases, etc., and can reassure other parents that the kids aren't doing/seeing/ listening to anything objectionable.

9. Friends and neighbors drop by often. I know so many people now that I don't rely on just family if I have a problem, and I have can focus on their problem without worrying about how the house looks. My children have a huge sense of community they might not have had otherwise.

8. Spending time with dear husband every night, talking about things other than chores, finances, or what's for dinner. We've been together for over 11 years, and I didn't realize there were still new things to discover about him.

7. Comfortable nooks and crannies. We live in a 1100 square foot home. Once we got rid of the clutter, we discovered plenty of room to read, talk or daydream. There's no cramped feeling here!

6. I've rediscovered myself. From silly things, like knowing my favorite music in 2004, to serious things, like now knowing I have a talent for teaching. I can now tell you where I want to be 5, 10, 15, and 20 years from now.

5. Self assurance. I can honestly say I feel as good about myself at a size 12 as I did at a size 6. It may not seem like much to some, but I have an extended family that is extremely weight conscious, and work with people that run marathons. No worries, I dress myself beautifully, cheer them on with their successes, and enjoy the taste of chocolate without guilt. Talk about the best of all worlds!

4. Reputation. It took several times of listening to your CDs. Guess what I got out of it? Punctuality (I use the Mom's Calendar, but what matters is I use a calendar), following through on projects, since I break them down in babysteps, and honesty, since I tell people, "No, I don't have time." There are no half hearted, half thought out projects done from my home now.

3. Self sufficient children. Since I don't expect perfection from my kids, they are more willing to learn life skills. They know more about laundry, cooking, and keeping house at 14 and 13 than I knew at 29. And they don't look at it as a punishment as I once did. They know they're worth the effort.

2. Self respect. I no longer allow myself to listen to people who build themselves up by tearing others down. At first it was directed at me. When they couldn't find faults, or a reaction, they started on others. (Some are close family that would do this. I couldn't sever ties.) When they tried to include me, I would list that person's virtues. Here's the kicker-they not only backed down, they seek my approval. ME, one they used to run down. I simply applaud them. I'm not a saint. I just made a decision long ago that I would give the encouragement that I desperately needed from FlyLady. Thank you, Marla.

1. Peace. I find peace in the knowledge that there will be times when I need to start over, after all these years. That I am a SHE, and there are lots of us. That clutter will be a constant battle, so I may as well get used to it. That I will always be a closet perfectionist, and that's why this took me over an hour to write this. And that there's peace, because I can always start over. That I had the courage to throw out thousands of pounds of clutter, and a few more ounces won't hurt me. And that I've flown before, and will fly again.

Thank you for giving me ten reasons to Finally Love Myself.

All my love, a FlyBaby in Dearborn Hts, MI