Kick Butt Tip: Don’t Be Afraid To Fail, It’s Not the End of the World

Today's Kick Butt Tip of the Day comes from actor John Hamm. If you don't know the name John Hamm, you may know John from his best known role as Don Draper in the TV series "Mad Men."

Now, here's today's Kick Butt Tip of the Day. "Don't be afraid to fail. It's not the end of the world and in many ways, it's the first step toward learning something and getting better at it."

I just love this awesome advice because we all are guilty of not going after our dreams and goals or not doing our best because we concentrate on the possibility of failing.

We are all human. We all fail. We don't always succeed. Remember, if you fail or as I like to say if you fall off the horse, just jump back on as soon as possible and ride away into the sunset.

We all get knocked down. Just don't stay down.

I heard a motivational speaker say years ago that we get what we focus on. So, if we focus on failure, failure might be the end result. Why don't we try things a little differently in 2024? Beginning today, let's decide that we are going to to focus on success. Beginning today, let's expect to have success at whatever we choose to pursue. Then at some point down the road, let's look at how things turned out.  We may be pleasantly surprised at our report card.  Also, by focusing on success at everything we do, we create the inner habit of expectation.  We should plan on success by applying ourselves and doing our very best at all times.

God don't make no junk. You are awesome, now go be awesome!

- Don Chase's Kick Butt Tip of the Day is a daily motivational feature designed to give you the inspiration you need to power through your day. Check out all the Kick Butt Tips here.

As we step into the New Year, it's a great time to clean up our homes and get a fresh start. A survey by Cinch Home Services found that many people have been on a cleaning spree. According to the survey by the home warranty provider, 70.3% of respondents have engaged in a cleaning spree since the start of last year, with 62.6% expressing a "very or extremely" committed attitude toward maintaining cleanliness. Despite these efforts, 45.9% still admit feeling embarrassed about the current state of their living spaces.

In light of these findings, it's worth considering the impact of physical clutter on our cognitive processes. Researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other brain-mapping tools, discovered that an abundance of objects in our visual fields hinders information processing. Essentially, the presence of too much stuff limits our ability to focus on the task at hand.

Additionally, a sleep study conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine revealed that people sleeping in cluttered rooms are more prone to developing sleep problems and are at a higher risk of developing hoarding disorders.

Recognizing the challenge of finding motivation for decluttering, The Spruce, a home and lifestyle website, provides helpful tips. They recommend using a decluttering checklist to simplify the process, making decisions about what to clear out more manageable. Additionally, using such a checklist allows you to track your progress by checking items off as you work through it. It’s a simple yet motivating and empowering act.

The Spruce recommends focusing on little victories instead of trying to tackle everything at once. This makes the whole process less overwhelming.

For more help, The Spruce breaks down which rooms to clean first and what items to get rid of in each room.  You can find their complete guide here.

Check out some of the top items below.

Expired items take the lead on their bathroom decluttering agenda. This includes makeup that has expired or is no longer used, along with medicines and prescriptions that have reached their expiration date or are no longer necessary. Additionally, items like dried-out nail polish, skincare products, and makeup samples are on their bathroom declutter list.

Paper clutter tops the list for decluttering the bedroom, followed by books that won't be revisited and old magazines. It's perfectly fine to part ways with these items, especially if they've been sitting around gathering dust. You can even opt for something digital instead of having paper as your go-to.

A common decluttering challenge we all face is the overflowing closet. According to The Spruce, the first step is to address clothes that no longer fit. They also advise getting rid of items that haven't been worn in over nine months.

When it comes to your kitchen, duplicate kitchen tools take precedence on their decluttering list. This includes items like extra vegetable peelers, bottle openers, and garlic presses. They also recommend getting rid of appliances that you use only once a year or less. Yes, even if it's that toaster oven collecting dust on your counter.