Essential Oils. Even two decades ago, I had never heard the term. I certainly had no idea that I would not only try them but come to love and share my love of oils with friends as well.

The coupon codes were everywhere. In my Facebook feed. Little coloured slips of advertising in my regular correspondence. Tempting ads in my Google finds.

Goodfood.

Another meal subscription service that promised to make my life more convenient while allowing me to enjoy better home-cooked meals.

Honestly?

I ignored the message. I kept on browsing. Threw the coupon codes away.

I wasn't interested.

This morning I dragged my reluctant body through a 30-minute stretch routine. Struggling to harness my attention span, I would catch myself staring listlessly off into the distance as the drone of fitness instruction guided me through a series of body positions.

In this stage of fitness repentance, stretching is full of awkward reminders that my late-forties body doesn’t move like it did a couple decades ago.

Tightness in my chest muscles from years of sitting over a computer keyboard with less than stellar posture makes the meeting of my palms behind my back impossible. I grasp into the air behind me and eventually settle for hand-over-hand folding somewhere at the base of my spine instead.

Same goes for a standing twist stretch that results in a token turn of my head or the forward fold where my fingers fall a good 12 inches short of my toes. Darned years of office chair existence. My hammies aren’t cutting me any slack.

When it’s over I feel a mix of relief and elation wash over me. Score one for healthier lifestyle and I actually do feel better than I did 30 minutes before. I’m just glad I didn’t have any spectators other than my two doggies. Instead of a graceful workout it was more like a one-person wrestle match.

This year, Marie Kondo’s system of tidying up has swept North America. Households are embracing the very practical “KonMari” method and purging record volumes of excess possessions from their homes. Why? To enjoy the promised mental, emotional and relational peace that comes from making decisions, getting rid of clutter and moving forward in life with the items that serve them best.

What if we looked inward and applied the same decluttering principles to our hearts as we did our homes? What would that look like? It is totally possible to overhaul heaps of useless junk that is smothering our most sacred space with a series of simple, practical steps through the life-changing power of forgiveness.

I’m convinced that unresolved conflict is a major cause of poor mental health and that confrontation that leads to healing can be the best elixir to a troubled soul. Yet even the word “confrontation” brings a sense of adversity, does it not?

The truth is that conflict doesn’t have to be adversarial! Addressing offences can be loving and gentle. Healing confrontation is the portal where vulnerability and greater understanding merge to create unity and growth.