Finding Joy while Cleaning Toilets

Yes, the title of this post is Finding Joy while Cleaning Toilets and yes, before today I would have laughed at anyone who told me that this was possible. Who in the world finds joy in cleaning toilets!? I mean the mere thought of the bazillions of germs that are associated with toilets is enough to give me the heeby geebies. I may be just a tad oversensitive to germs and the thought of germs, so sometimes I can barely handle my own, let alone other people's, so cleaning anything, especially bathrooms, nearly sends me into a panicked frenzy.
However, nearly 4 years ago I made a decision, a decision to become a mother. Yep, me the germ freak decided it was a good decision to have children. Now don't get me wrong, I love my two daughters more than anything else in this world, and actually they have helped me overcome a lot of my issues with germs. It's nearly impossible to be as paranoid as I used to be when you have poopy diapers to change, a toddler to potty train, which yes, sometimes involves poop smeared all over walls and beds. But enough of the gory details.
Most of the time I manage to quench my panic because come on, I have two daughters to take care of and a house to keep clean. Dishes, laundry, bedrooms, and yes, the dreaded bathrooms and I do like to be clean and organized so much of my time is devoted to these daily/weekly tasks. This also means, at least until today, that all that time I was devoting to my home, I dreaded. I might go so far as to say I hated it. It is hard to keep a spotless house when people need to eat and kids want to play with their toys and people need to use the bathrooms and they wear clothes and then those clothes need washed and on and on and on, the cycle is never ending! Which means, the housework is never ending, which means those dreaded germs are never ending as well.
Well, today was a cleaning day for me and when I say day, I mean day, all day. It was 9:30 PM when I started writing this, because I had finally finished cleaning, not even joking. Before I began this morning, a familiar dread and disgust had somehow already found its comfortable place in the bottom of my gut as if I had no choice if I was going to feel that way or not, it was a habit I had subconsciously committed to, yet for some reason, my conscious mind decided to take charge and show me exactly what was happening. I had to stop and really listen to the thoughts and feelings circulating through my brain and decide if those were of light or of darkness, of happiness or misery. They were obviously negative so I was a little shocked at myself; here I am living in a very nice three bedroom, two bathroom home with a two car garage with rent most people would envy and I was complaining that I had to then clean it!? Who did I think I was!?
Well, I knew who I wasn't, or who I didn't want to be, so as I started the cleaning process I began to express my gratitude for each thing I cleaned. I am so grateful for forks and spoons so I don't have to eat with my fingers. I am so glad I have a closet full of clothes so I get to wear a clean set each day. Man, it's raining today I am so grateful I have a sturdy roof over my head. Look how lucky my girls are to have multiple toys and books so they can have a variety to play with. Wow, I am going to get the best nights sleep on my amazing mattress. I am so grateful for my garage so my car is protected from the weather.
Seriously! How lucky am I to have all that!? How selfish had I been acting, to think I had the right to complain about having to clean my home when there are millions of people who don't even have one!? This shift in my thinking gave me such peace that as I headed to my bathroom I felt it, yep, you guessed it, joy. I felt joy. Because guess what!? I didn't have to traipse into the woods to do my business in a hole in the ground, and I didn't have to go into a stinky port a potty either. I have a bathroom. A bathroom I love and appreciate with a toilet that I am so grateful I get to clean. Germs...what germs? I have gratitude and joy, and joy is more powerful than any paranoia.
Today I challenge you to find the joy in cleaning your home, your room, your bathroom, or whatever you may be doing. Take the time to realize why you are grateful for that thing and I promise you your whole outlook will change and you will be filled with joy! I can't wait till it's time to clean my bathroom again ;)
Yours truly,
Aimee Lee
Embrace Your Brilliance