Rate Your Space

by Doreen Washington

We as women must decide to pay careful attention to those that we let into our space. Do we often feel drained and lethargic after being around a specific person or group of people? At the end of our socialization are we feeling on edge and moody? It’s time that you rate your space.

We have made so many resolutions of how we wish to lose weight, how we will be kinder or even how we will live out our dreams this year. Much too often we forget about all the things and persons that effect our lives and most importunately we forget to rate how they effect our space and how our mood has been altered after being involved with those who bring a negative effect.

Notice the word involved has been italicized. This references those that we are involved with, not those with whom we spend a very small amount of time but those that we spend a considerable amount of time with – giving room to affect us positively or negatively.

Why haven’t we prioritized rating our space – paying attention to the things that affect us? This is just as important as and possibly even more important than losing weight, living out our dreams or making an effort to be kinder. We tend to busy ourselves with the care, nurture and support of others and forget about ourselves.

Remember to care for you, nurture you and support you. Because our attitude determines our altitude we are responsible for the conditions of our surroundings. When our countenance and mood has taken a turn for the worse then we cheat ourselves at becoming better women leaving room for hurt, pain, bitterness, unforgiveness and strife to set in.

Deal with your space by rating it and categorizing it. Sometimes you have to place things on the top shelf, out of reach – it’s your space, it’s your room (heart). Keep your heart and guard it as your prize possession. There may be people in your space that may or may not intentionally hurt you, put you down, strip your strength and make you question your worth. It’s time – time to rate who is affecting your countenance and who’s bringing your wonderful, generous and giving spirit down.

We clean our homes, we clean our vehicles and we often rate the superficial things without hesitation, but still find it difficult to look a little deeper at those around us and their lasting effects. It’s time to rate your space. Start today – do it now. We are woman!

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Wednesday's "We Are Woman" column is created by Doreen Washington. Doreen resides in Newport News, VA.  She is the author of her newest book, We Are Woman, an inspiring book that speaks to women about their strength, value and victories. Her next book, Trapped - Learning to live free while waiting for romance and marriage, will hit book stores in early 2010.

Doreen is also the Founder and Executive Director of The FACE Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization that focuses its resources on assisting single working mothers.  While writing is a passion of hers, she also finds time to devote the her local chapter as the president of the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW). You can visit Doreen's blog at www.doreenwashington.blogspot.com.