Tips to Overcome Obsessions

Today is a great day to write about obsessions. Yes, even I have an obsession.....I have to vacuum daily and I cannot have any items on my counter tops. As I think back to last week, which was a whirlwind week for me, many functions to cater, clients to coach and a friend of the family's funeral, but I still had to vacuum each say before I left the house. I had voiced my frustration to my dad about my being so anal about this. I told him it was causing me stress, but I have to have my house clean.

I started thinking about the WHY? After much thought, I found the why. Why do I have to have my house so clean and vacuum and have empty counters? My pride of ownership! It took a lot of work to have the house I have and I want it to look nice and be proud of it. There is no real obsession, it is pride. I also have 3 dogs that make it nearly impossible not to vacuum daily, all in all, it is due to the want to have things look nice.
The problem I have with this, however, is that my house does not look lived in, therefore, losing that comfort that I strive for. Everyday, I look around and ask myself, what can I do to cozy it up? I will figure it out someday.

There is a difference between my cleanliness and someone who is obsessing and repetitively doing the same thing over and over again. For example, germs, those nasty things that we can never be completely free of, no matter what we do. There are millions of people out there that wash there hands over and over again until they crack and bleed, just out of pure fear of getting ill.

This is not rational, productive or a good use of one's time. Tips for trying to ward off germs is to:

• Wash your hands after you go to the bathroom
• Wash your hands before eating
• Wash your hands or use sanitizer after shopping
• Cover your mouth when you cough
• Do not visit friends when they are sick
• Don't put your hands in your mouth

Repetitively washing hands does not prevent germs from being passed on, it is all in one's mind. Washing hands after the things listed above is sufficient.

There was a former client of mine who always had to go back into her house to make sure the stove was shut off. She would come in from outside and check and go back out and come back in. Time consuming at the very least. So many of the obsessions that we have are due to a lack of trust or confidence in ourselves.

• Learn to relax
• If there are certain ritualistic things you do daily, change the routine
• Make a check list of things to check before you leave the House and bring it with you when you leave to assure yourself it is checked.
• Don't worry so much.

I am going to be writing more on this topic as OCD is prevalent and it does not have to be.

Take time to relax and trust yourself!