"But when we really delve into the reasons for why we can't let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future."
-Marie Kondo
How do the words above resonate with you?
Pause here for a moment and free yourself from distractions:
Take a deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... calm your mind and be present...
Two reasons why we can't let something go: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future...
What are you holding on to that you need to let go? Think about that for a moment...
Today’s excerpt of A Year of Living Consciously, by Gay Hendricks, opened with this Spanish Proverb: “Ownership is to fear.”
What’s your fear about letting it go? Whatever your "it" is... what are you afraid of..?
Think about the things cluttering your life... people... things...
cluttering /verb/
to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness
How are these things holding you back... impeding your progress?
If you’re feeling stuck, unproductive, less motivated, and can’t quite figure out why, perhaps decluttering your space will help.
6 Benefits of an Uncluttered Space:
by Alice Boyes Ph.D. psychologytoday.com
The psychology behind organizing and decluttering.
1. Decluttering creates a sense of confidence and self-efficacy (seeing yourself as competent): Decluttering utilizes your decision-making and problem-solving skills: You've got Y amount of space and X amount of stuff. To make everything fit, you need to make reasonably quick decisions about whether to keep or discard items, and where to put them. Doing this successfully can help you feel confident about your decision-making skills. It helps you feel like you're adulting!
2. Decluttering is energizing: This is related to the first point. When you make a series of quick decisions (and therefore solve a series of problems), you put yourself into getting-things-done mode. When you do this, you're likely to find that you feel energized enough to start ticking other things off your to-do list.
3. Cleaning and organizing reduce anxiety: When things feel out of order, it can (but not always does) make us feel scattered and anxious.* Creating order relieves that anxiety. For people who obsessively clean, organize, or count things, those behaviors make sufferers feel (temporarily) calmer. This is an extreme example; however, many clinical conditions involve what are generally helpful psychological mechanisms gone awry.
4. Decluttering allows mind wandering and (sometimes) involves physical activity: If you've been concentrating on hard cognitive work at your job or elsewhere, giving your mind a chance to wander can help you generate further insights into whatever it was you were working on. Physical activity can help supercharge this. Therefore, organizing that involves some physical component (like moving heavy items around) can create ideal conditions for having light-bulb moments and other leaps of insight.
5. Decluttering can reduce relationship and family tension: Clutter can create family stress. You might argue about mess with your spouse, or find yourself snapping at your children if you've spent 10 minutes looking for something and are now running late. Decluttering can reduce this stress.
6. When you declutter, you often find lost treasures: When you declutter, you often find items you'd forgotten you had. These finds can create a sense of serendipity and abundance that can boost your mood and increase your energy for tackling bigger issues.
What would a decluttered space look like? Visualize it... Spend a moment right here... How dos the possibility make you feel..?
Today’s Challenge: Declutter your space!
from Gay Hendricks, A year of Living Consciously...
Choose a space in your home: a closet, office, garage...
Clear out everything you don’t use
Then clear out everything you don’t love
Give it away
Watch what happens in your life immediately afterward.
"The more things you own, the more they own you."
-Unknown
What are you willing to do?
Don’t miss your opportunity! Be intentional, encourage others to do the same and watch what happens.
You got this!
Coach Tavia
#declutteryourlife, #learnandgrow, #responsibility, #accountability, #youmatter, #honoryourself, #live, #ownyourpower, #ittakescourage, #commitment, #thinkforyourself, #believe, #trustyourself, #beconsistent, #selfawareness, #selfdiscovery, #maximizeyourpotential, #shareyourgifts, #seizeopportunity, #becreative, #reflect, #reach, #stretch, #bepresent, #faith, #confidence, #dothework, #leadbyexample, #justdoit, #lifecoach, #leadershipcoach, #leadershipdevelopment
References:
Hendricks, Gay; A year of Living Consciously: 365 Daily Inspirations for Creating a Life of Passion and Purpose. Harper One, New York, NY 1998.
How to Declutter the Clothes in Your Closet
6 Benefits of an Uncluttered Space
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