Hi Reader,

Thanks for being here.

No witty remarks or dad humor to bring us in today.

Cue sigh of deep relief.

Just some genuine gratitude that you are here every week.

Thanks for making the time to join me on this magnificent Monday.

You mean a lot to me and I appreciate you!

---

What I'm thinking about 💭

The inverse relationship between cleaning and anxiety.

Let's start with a disclaimer.

I don't have clinical anxiety, yet sometimes I feel anxious.

Yesterday was one of those days.

As I'm sure you're well aware, life can feel much heavier on a Sunday.

There's a term for this: the Sunday Scaries.

I'm willing to bet you know exactly how this feels.

It's as if all of the life tasks you've been putting off, suddenly come due.

The (huge) list of tasks you said you'd do over the weekend loom over you like the leaning tower of Pisa.

There's laundry to do.

Groceries to buy.

And newsletters to write.

It can all be pretty overwhelming.

I'd be lying if I said I always handled it like an adult man with fantastic facial hair.

Sometimes I handle it like a baby-faced pre-pubescent little boy.

But not today.

Today I went 12 rounds with my anxiety and won.

My strategy can be summarized in a single sentence:

I cleaned for 4 hours straight.

I am convinced that there is an inverse relationship between cleaning and anxiety.

The more I clean, the less anxious I feel about life.

Feeling anxious?

Vacuum the living room.

Overwhelmed?

Suds up that sink!

If the duster makes an appearance I'll know things are really bad.

Physically cleaning your space will make you feel so much better.

The anxiety will melt away as the physical cleaning gives you a psychological scrub down.

There's an old saying about always sleeping before making a big decision.

The same should be said about cleaning your house.

At 2 o'clock yesterday I felt like the world was ending.

After my deep clean, I felt reborn.

My heart felt lighter and my mustache looked fuller.

The next time you feel anxious, give your space a deep clean.

I guarantee you'll feel much better on the other side.

---

Quote of the week 📜

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice. Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson​
​​

---

​

What I'm reading 📖

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmenr, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Klemp.

I'm about halfway through this book and it is phenomenal.

If you are someone who strives to be the best communicator (and human) you can be, it's a must-read.

I am adding it to my list of required reading for humans.

---

Was this email forwarded to you?

Click the button below to start loving your Monday mornings.

JOIN THE RENAISSANCE

---

Sent with love,

Gregory Russell Benedikt

Talk to me: hello@gregoryrussellbenedikt.com

Website: gregoryrussellbenedikt.com

Writing: Medium

Connect: Instagram & LinkedIn