FlyLady - Pagan Style; Get Dressed To Shoes!

For those of you who don't know what FlyLady is, it's an inspirational website designed to help you clean and de-clutter your home and your life. It helps you create routines that work for you, your lifestyle & your family to help housekeeping become stress-free and something you just do naturally and daily rather than something you put off until the last minute and then stress about when you have company coming over.

I have felt for awhile now that many aspects of the FlyLady program can be applied in spiritual ways to those who consider themselves, Neo-Pagans, Kitchen Witches, Hearth Witches, Green Witches, etc. I will be going over some FlyLady basics here in my blog and writing about how they can be seen as a spiritual thing; not just a house-cleaning and organizing thing! If you missed it, check out my post called "FlyLady - Pagan Style; Welcome Letter"

When you start with FlyLady, there are 31 days of "Baby Steps" to help you slowly start to integrate small changes into your daily routines. It's about developing habits and changing your mind-set to a positive one!

Baby Steps Day 2!
Get Dressed To Shoes
Shine Your Sink Before Bed

Read the FlyLady's description of BabySteps Day 2! 

Today is easy.  Your sink is shining when you wake up in the morning - now get dressed!  Don't just stay in your pajamas and slippers all day.  I know many stay at home moms groan when they hear this step!  I have heard a hundred times, "But I don't wear shoes in my house.", or "I don't want to put my shoes on until I have to leave the house.", or "Can I just wear my flip flops or slippers?"  You don't have to wear shoes around your house if you don't want to.  The important thing here, is the ritual.  The Routine.  FlyLady says that when she puts on her shoes, it sends her brain a message to get started, get moving, start doing things!  It's easy to go back to bed, settle into the couch, or in front of your computer on facebook when you don't have your shoes on, your hair up, your make-up on... something.  So even if "SHOES" aren't your trigger, find something you can do in the morning that says "I am getting ready to start my day."  Is it putting your hair in a ponytail and putting on some make up?  Getting fully dressed?  Lighting a candle?
This isn't just crawling out of bed and turning on the coffee pot and the computer.  This is why FlyLady suggests putting on your shoes.... it's a little different than your usual routine which results in you being lazy for 3 hours before you guilt-trip yourself into getting something done at the last minute.  Please take a minute to read FlyLady's essay on the importance of getting dressed to shoes.... you may change your mind about the whole "shoes" thing.... or at least give it a try for a couple weeks and see what a difference it makes in your attitude and your mornings!  If putting on your shoes still doesn't work, find something else that sends a message to your brain, your body, and your spirit that "It is time to start my day."  It could be something you already do - getting dressed and doing your hair.  But all witches know there is power in intention.  Start your day with intention; get dressed and pick something you do each morning that represents your intention to get things done.
Personally, I love "Getting Dressed To Shoes"... putting on my shoes DOES make me feel like I am ready to start my day, prevents me from crawling back into bed after the kids have gone to school, and having my shoes on reminds me that I'm supposed to be moving, not sitting here at my computer!  But I have never had a problem with wearing shoes in the house, so I know this is hard for some people.  If you're still resisting the idea, read this wonderful "Ask FlyLady" letter about getting dressed to shoes, and just try it for a week or tow!!  In the end though, it's about focusing your intention on having a productive day, first thing in the morning!  Find something that works for you, find a physical expression of your intention, and work on doing it every morning when you wake up!

One great thing that works for me is Veiling, or Headcovering.  I have written a blog post about it here, and when I have my shoes and my veil on, I feel more motivated to get things done!  As a bonus, when I am covered, everything I do is dedicated as an offering to my Matron Goddess, Hestia.

Now, let's watch this simple meditation video again, affirm our self- love, and go put on our shoes!

At the end of the day, before you go to bed, make sure your sink is shining again!