Let's dive right in, shall we? {do you see how I'm stalling here? I'm asking for your commitment to join me!} . And then, THEN, once I hit "publish post" ... I am heading OUT of my office, AWAY from this computer, and TACKLING some of the clutter I now have major ISSUES with ... LOL. Awww, come on: laugh with me here, friends. {photo shows my desk, 2009 - it does have a much smaller stack now, but still, a stack, nonetheless.}
-- Davielle
SO HERE GOES {with my random comments included, in this color right here ... dark charcoal gray ... am I procrastinating, or what?!} :
9 Seemingly Logical Reasons We Cling to Clutter
by Christine Kane
"Perfection is not when there is no more to add, but no more to take away." – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
A retired man once told me he loved going camping with his wife because camping showed her how simple life can be "without all that bloomin' stuff she keeps everywhere!"
He's right!
Our lives are meant to be simple. Our intuition and creativity thrive when given freedom and space. Clutter is a disease. {I was afraid of that ...} Each moment we ignore the reasons we hold on to things we don't want, those things rob us of energy, health, and clarity.
If you're a clutter-clinger, be kind to yourself. {oh, good, she's giving me permission to cut myself some slack & be kind to me. }Begin with an awareness of your thoughts and excuses. For starters, read over this list to see if you can find YOUR excuse!
Clutter Excuse #1: "I'd be a bad mean horrible person if I…"
Guilt is heavy gooey energy that convinces us we're bad people if we let go of heirlooms, knick-knacks, unwanted clothing, or unwanted gifts.
These items clutter up our lives and keep us in a comfortable – but draining – place. And conveniently, we never have to decide what we actually do want in our environment. We become environmental victims. Often, that spreads out into other parts of our lives too!
Clutter Excuse #2 - "I spent so much on it!"
Do you punish yourself for having made a bad choice by keeping the item around? Or convince yourself that you're going to get your money's worth – even if it drains the hell out of you?
You won't. And it will.
We've all done stupid things. And we've all had to let them go. Now it's your turn.
Clutter Excuse #3 - "I might need this someday."
I often wonder how many idle telephone cords exist in the world. Way in the back of old desk drawers. Stuffed on closet shelves. They can't be gotten rid of.
Why?
Because we might need them some day.
Evidently, some day - in spite of technological progress - you're going to need that particular grey phone cord that came in the box with a phone you bought in 1989. {I know, but ... oh, okay. point well taken!}
Throw it out. Now.
Same thing goes for: The broken fax machine, switch plates from your first house, and every glass flower vase that came with deliveries. {uh, oh, guilty as charged here.}
Clutter Excuse #4 - "I might do this someday."
I know. I know. {see, she knows me - she really really knows me.}
Someday you'll take those broken pieces of china you've collected and create a beautiful mosaic birdbath. {Oh my goodness, Christine knows about my broken pieces of china box - the one I "intend" to have Karyl help me make into a beautiful mosaic birdbath someday?! And you think I'm kidding here, right? NOT. } And you'll go through those stacks of magazines and make that collage for your sister's 30th birthday party. (She's 51 now.)
Now – I don't mean to deny you your plans and dreams. However, I urge you to consider experiencing the infinite relief that appears when you let old project ideas go. {consider the possibilities !!!}
Call your sister and tell her the collage ain't gonna happen. Buy a mosaic birdbath from an artist who makes her living from creating such treasures.
And then, make space for what you want to do. Don't fill your space with what you should do.
Clutter Excuse #5 - "I gotta look good to my guests."
CD's. Books. DVD's. Are these items treasured? Or are they simply a prop so your guests will be impressed by your intelligence and diverse tastes? {and here I thought I wanted them because I wanted to impress MYSELF with my eclectic music and movie taste ... dang, Christine's good at calling our bluff, huh?}
Remember this: we are motivated by two things: Fear or Love. Which of these keeps you clinging to items because of appearances?
Clutter Excuse #6 - "I Don't Know Where It Goes."
When items don't have a home, it's harder to determine whether or not they are clutter. Some things may seem like clutter - like the cute card that your daughter made that floats around from drawer to drawer - but they're not clutter.
They're homeless.
Once you start defining spaces for items, then it's easier to see when something doesn't fit anywhere and should just get tossed.
Clutter Excuse #7 - "My thoughts don't have any power. Do they?"
Everything has energy. The thoughts you have about the things in your home CREATE energy. If you are surrounded by stuff you keep out of guilt, then your environment holds guilt. If you hang on to stuff given to you by your ex, and you still feel bitter – then there is bitterness in your home.
Get it? {getting it, getting it, getting it ...}
It's either fueling you, or draining you. Some things might be neutral, of course. But if anything triggers you, then that is your barometer. Let it go.
Clutter Excuse #8 - "But I never wore it!"
See Clutter Excuse #2.
Clutter Excuse #9 - "There's too much stuff!"
{isn't that the whole point here ???}
Overwhelm can stop us in our tracks. {I once learned, in a Wendy Freer workshop called CLUTTER CLEARING, that "perfectionist" usually means one who is often overwhelmed by the task ahead simply because they SO want to "get it done right." Fear of doing it "imperfectly" or "incompletely" can stop us - yes, I said US - cold. And all this time, I thought that being a perfectionist meant one who always does things perfectly! NOT.} If this article makes you aware that there are lots of items in your life you don't like, then go slow. Schedule small chunks of time each day. It takes time to be clutter-free! But the newfound clarity and lightness are worth it!
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? {yes, very much ... }
Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:
Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 11,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to LiveCreative at http://www.christinekane.com/ .
WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at www.ChristineKane.com/blog .
Thank you, Christine. I needed this more today than any other day this week.
To learn more about WENNDI FREER, with whom I once took a 2-day CLUTTER CLEARING workshop right here in Encinitas, California, you can find it here:
http://www.spaceclearing.com/html/practitioners/north-and-south-america/sobi2Details/North-and-South-America/Wenndi_Freer
No comments:
Post a Comment