You have heard the saying, ‘out with the old, in with the new…’ True, but hard to do if you don’t take out the trash.

The holidays make lots of trash. Wrapping, leftovers and even discarded trees get thrown out, but that is not the trash I mean.

Many of us have chock full closets in our brains and close packed cupboards in our hearts stuffed with trash. There is no room for the new, the old garbage is busy decaying there. Maybe you have a shelf full of slights and wrongs done to you that you have never forgiven. You have held on to them like some rotting treasure. Throw them out! They are hurting you much more than any person who ever did you wrong. They steal your joy and take up space you need for new friendships and fun experiences that are waiting for you in the New Year.

Are there hooks in that closet where you have carefully hung up anger, resentment, and the desire for revenge against someone? Maybe you have the ‘right’ to get even because they were really wrong. Perhaps you have polished and cleaned the perceived wrong doing regularly until it is shiny bright in your memory and you want to hold on to it. That refuse is robbing you of every good thing.

The person you begrudge has likely moved on, forgotten and gives no thought to your museum of misery. Whether they have ever been sorry or not, you need to make that grudge or grievance into ancient history. Forgiveness is not for them, it is for you!

Empty those closets and cupboards of anything negative or mean. Keep only the beautiful and positive. Once they are emptied you will have room for new gifts, random acts of kindness, offerings of love and concern that will come your way to be stored and treasured in the closets and cupboards of your memory. Those kinds of treasures stored up will bring freedom from bitterness, joy from within, an acceptance of yourself and others and opportunities to bless and be a blessing.

Sometimes forgetting is a gift as well, so when you have taken out the trash, Forget It! Let it Go! like the Disney princess says. Move on and fill those spaces with something better. That is the best way to practice ‘out with the old and in with the new,’ and it can ensure a Happy New Year!