Doing the dishes can save your life

There you are. 

Looking at a sink full of dirty dishes. 

When did it come to that point ? 

What does the lack of cleanliness reveal about our internal landscape? 

We have been conditioned to comfort and convenience. We think that putting off things will be fine in the long run. Some of us just never learned to be more aware of how we treat our kitchen, our bedrooms and all the things we live with on a day to day basis. What does the lack of maintenance say about what is going on in our heads?

The striving for convenience has lead to a build up of inconvenient things. For example, when you choose to put off the dishes, you are allowing yourself to more arduous work in the future. Food hardens and is harder to scrub off the more you put it off. Wouldn't the simple act of cleaning as you go or right after you eat be more efficient and beneficial towards your mental health?

It is easy to slip into habits and give ourself comforting excuses that let us off the hook. Maybe you had a bad day or maybe you are too full or exhausted to even think about exercising such a laborious task. When we base all necessary and cleanly things that need to be done off of our moods then it allows us to become stagnant and irresponsible.

A simple act of doing the dishes can be meditative. Bear with me. When you are aware of the fact that doing the dishes in an efficient manner can help you in the long run, you grow. Each time you practice doing the dishes as soon as you eat or as you cook, you are allowing yourself to be more present and improve your health. The outer world is indeed a reflection of your inner space. 

You can take this metaphor of the dirty dishes and apply it to many things in your life. Procrastination is a particularly nasty devil that makes you think that putting off important things are simply "ok". It tricks you and creates anxiety for you when things build up or are pressed for time. You could have had time to do other leisurely things, but the daunting task of dishes stands in your way. You could want to cook, but are turned off since it will take more work to clean up the dishes now than before it got to mess it is now. 

When you see dish washing as an opportunity to be more present, you eliminate the idea that is is suppose to be a laborious and daunting task. You can create a healthy atmosphere both mentally and physically for your future and current self when you choose to keep things clean and tidy. 

It is kinda like that cleanliness is next to godliness phrase. We have all heard that haven't we?

Do the dance of the dishes, 

And clean off your plate, 

You'll indeed see the logic of your fate,

When you let things go neglected,

Your conscience may reject it, 

And put it off to the side, 

When you know what's good for you, 

The right things will ring true, 

And you'll take on the task with courage, 

With time you'll know why, 

Things can go awry, 

By simply choosing to neglect them, 

With such piece of mind, 

You'll breathe just fine, 

Knowing you're taken care of. 

And without strife, 

You'll wash the fork and knife, 

Knowing that the simplest act of dishwashing, 

Could quite possible save your life! 

DG