Coming Clean

It's interesting what people will do when they don't want to follow through with their promise, or in this case, finish the job. It has taken me years to ask for help with the house cleaning. I had it ingrained in me that I was to be the one to "keep house", it was my job as a stay-at-home mom and wife. It was my contribution to the family. So when my girls got older and started getting jobs of their own, I lost the help I had depended on. I really started to feel the burden of maintaining the level of cleanliness we were used to when I started my coaching business. I hadn't had to balance work and home life like this before. I needed help. Though it took me a while to get over feeling guilty or embarrassed that I wanted someone to come help me clean, I went ahead and started my search.

There have been many different people who have helped me clean and honestly, no one has been able to do it the way I want. I didn't think I was that particular but I see things they don't. So when they didn't do what I expected, I would either not schedule with them again or they wouldn't come back. One of the more recent ones had hope. She was a young mom and wanted to start her cleaning business right. She had a contract and insurance. She came highly recommended and did a thorough job. I thought she was a keeper. The last time I scheduled her, she called and said she was really sick. I told her to take care of herself and get back to me to reschedule. I never heard from her. Now, you may ask why I didn't reach out to her. I believe it was her responsibility to contact me as the business owner. She is the one trying to make a go of it, right? Well, this just led me on the search again for someone to come clean once a month.

This last girl was promising. Many people recommended her so I thought I would try her out. She understood the job she was to do and quoted me a fair price. I was home at the time so I checked to see if she needed anything. But an hour and a half into the job, she had only cleaned the stovetop. I was curious and asked again if she needed anything. I had also heard her talking on the phone while she was cleaning. The next thing I knew, she was gone. She left through the front door and got into her boyfriend's car and took off. No word. No excuse. No follow-up message. To this day, I have no idea why she left with barely anything done.

The stories I'm creating to make sense of it all ranges from "she had an emergency" to "she just didn't want to do it and she didn't know how to tell me." It's that last story I'm sticking with. I want to believe that everyone is doing the best they can. That people either don't know how to face the #truth or are too embarrassed to come clean.

That made me think about all the times I have heard clients do the same thing. They don't want to face the truth so they act as if it's not happening. They know that what they are doing is wrong or harmful but they act as if it's not. They hide their secrets thinking they will never be found out. The thing is, the truth will always come to the surface. The light will always shine in the darkness to reveal what is hidden. A dishonest lifestyle takes a lot to maintain. Eventually, it all comes crumbling down and the mess can be catastrophic. Broken trust, broken promises, broken relationships just because telling the truth is too hard.

It takes courage to come clean. But getting honest with yourself is what will lead you to true fulfillment. It is what will give you a sense of freedom and confidence. It will strengthen your relationships and build trust. Your #boundaries will be in place and keep you safe so you don't have to keep looking over your shoulder. Isn't that the kind of life you want to live? I know it is for me. That's one reason I love helping people come clean and live an #authentic life. A life that is honest and fulfilling. But you need to ask for help (which may be the hardest part). If you think it's time to come clean and need support, reach out and set up a time for a consultation and see how #coaching will work for you.