People have written in to ask me, “Do the little things in life, like cleaning your house, matter when it comes to serenity, peace of mind, mental health and self-esteem?” I say: Absolutely. Actually, minor things like cleaning the house are indeed valuable. Anything that advances or maintains the functioning of your life is a good thing. All of life’s activities are important. Some are more interesting and fulfilling than others, but, if you think about it, cleaning adds a lot to your life. Life is partly about pursuing and creating, and partly about maintaining. When you clean, or groom, or eat, or get medical attention, you’re maintaining. Taken individually, these actions are cumbersome or annoying, perhaps, but when you consider them as a part of the whole—of maintaining life—then it’s a different perspective.