“How Mel Robbins’ Dirty Laundry Transformed Her Mindset And You Can Do The Same”

4 min readJan 18, 2024

This little Podcast exchange between Mel Robbins and KC Davis will cause a seismic mindset change — Read on 👇👇

The Dirty Laundry Theory

Sometimes, our little annoyances can cause the biggest change in our lives.

A new way to finish tasks

The Laundry Cycle Theory helps us think about finishing tasks in a whole new way, as Mel Robbins discussed on her podcast.

Mel: “When I look at a pile of laundry, I feel like something is wrong with me because I can’t finish it.”
KC Davis: “Laundry is a cycle. You have clean clothes in the closet, clothes you’re wearing, dirty clothes on the floor, and dirty clothes in the hamper. It’s okay for clothes to be in any part of the cycle.”

This little exchange between Mel and KC took dirty laundry to a whole new level on how we should view our daily chores and tasks.

Binary Thinking — Yes/No — Done/Not Done

Have you ever noticed how we often think in rigid, all-or-nothing terms? Like, things are either done or not done, good or bad. But the truth is, most things in life are constantly changing and flowing, just like your laundry!

Sometimes I have clean clothes, sometimes dirty clothes, and sometimes clothes being washed, and sometimes they’re in the dryer.

And you know what?
This non-binary way of thinking feels less stressed!

Let me give you a few examples of non-binary activities:

My work: projects are at different phases, some are just starting, some are in progress, what I call “WIP” Work-in-Progress, and some are finished.
My exercise: we all know we shouldn’t do the same exercise 7 days a week, and the body needs rest days. It’s recommended to change up our workouts to focus on different muscle groups, as well, we need aerobics, stretches, and other forms of exercise to keep fit.
My habits: I deliberately don’t subscribe to 100% perfection in my habits coz weekends are for relaxing, doing chores, chillin’ with family & friend, and catching up.

Nature is not defined by rigid, binary categories, rather, nature is non-linear and exists on a continuum of constant change and evolution. And man-made linear, binary models cannot truncate the natural flow of nature.

“Mother Nature is not binary, she ebbs and flows beautifully.” — ZAK
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” — Lao Tzu
“The beauty of nature is that it forces us to abandon our preconceptions and start fresh.” — Dan Chiaro

Your Life is Like a River — Go With The Flow

Adobe Firefly Image Prompt: a beautiful river flowing downstream with birds flying — Image Prompt: see Alt Text

SoOOoo, here’s the thing: instead of trying to force everything to be “done,” what if we just went with the flow? That is, do laundry when the hamper is full; work on projects based on deadlines and importance; exercise and build good habits to sustain your lifestyle.

Don’t make life binary: done / not done

Instead, do what you should based on its natural flow and don’t sweat the small stuff and think you have to subscribe to binary thinking, coz nature is not binary.

We are part of the natural world and when we align ourselves with nature’s rhythms and patterns, we find ourselves in a state of greater harmony and joy.

“We find peace and harmony when we surrender to Nature’s cadence.” — ZAK

When you start seeing your life as a flow, rather than a bunch of tasks to check off, you’ll feel so much lighter and happier. Your life is like a river that keeps moving, not a bucket to be emptied. This mindset will liberate you from binary thinking and you’ll be less stressed at work and in your personal life.

SoOoo, no need to beat up yourself if you didn’t finish everything, but know that everything is in flux which perfectly mirrors nature — be like a river, and enjoy the flow — enjoying the flow means to also enjoy the process.

Let’s Conclude

The Laundry Theory is a great reminder that life is not a static, one-dimensional experience, but rather a dynamic and multi-faceted journey that is constantly evolving. It’s a reminder that life is a journey, not a destination.

By embracing the ebb and flow of life, we can learn to go with the flow and find greater balance, joy, and fulfillment.

So the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, try thinking of your life as a flow. It might just make all the difference!