Book Review: Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess

I've said before how much I despise cleaning, that thankless task that needs to be done ad nauseam. No sooner are the dishes back in the cupboards than the counter is full again. As soon as I fold the last pile of laundry, one is crying out that a particular garment is unavailable because I haven't washed clothes. Frustrating! Yet cleaning has to be done. We can't sit around in filth, let dishes pile up, and wear the same clothes all year. [Side note: They did in Elizabethan times. This is the source of the term "spring cleaning." All winter long, individuals would bind feathers around them to add warmth. Once the temperatures calmed, they would go down to the river and remove the feathers and clothes for their annual cleaning. I learned that in a lecture given at Anne Hathaway's house.]

So, too, your brain can get messy. Anxious thoughts can take control and threaten your peace and sanity. Dr. Caroline Leaf is convinced, after years of research and counseling experience, that what you think determines how you feel. Of course, I picked up this book because I sought advice on how to rid myself of invasive thoughts. The advice is sound. The steps probably work. My difficulty is in mustering passion enough to put in the work. Just like housecleaning, it seems an endless and repetitive task. Indeed, she insists that in order to establish new habits of thought, you should practice her "neurocycle" steps for 63 days.

So, what are the steps, you ask? They didn't show until 168 pages in. The first half of the book provides background information on the brain and how it ends up in a mess. 1) Gather, 2) Reflect, 3) Write, 4) Recheck, and 5) Active Reach. While I want the promised results, I lack enthusiasm for pursuing the steps. If you have more willpower than me, you can even access an app that helps you establish these habits. Keeping a spotless home, a trim waistline, and a peaceful brain takes work. There's no easy way. I believe the steps outlined in this book will help. However, believing is not enough to make it happen. Every chapter ends in a testimonial. I'll let you know if I ever have one to share.