I believe the world is a hologram, always offering you a chance to view yourself, your challenges, and your potential in new ways.
Recently my clients are working on creating order and calm out of their chaos. Being big on integrity, I took on the challenge for myself as well.
I wrote last week about the book that’s given me a new way to tackle “the boogeyman behind my closet doors.” That’s right. It’s stuff, sometimes known as “clutter.” It’s years of accumulated things, papers, memories, and tidbits.
Following the “clear by categories” tip, I’ve gone through all my Clothing, and all my Books. Now I’m working away on Paper. (That’s a very large category in my life. I’m finding it more time consuming than the previous two.)
Following my post, I received encouragement from many—(thank you!)—and a query or two. So this week, as clearing clutter continues, I thought I’d tell you how it’s REALLY going.
I do believe the final result will be worth it. But so far, the overwhelming feelings have been a lot more about sadness, frustration, and even depression, than about feeling freedom. I’ve been dropped deep into my Life Lessons.
My biggest insight has been how many things I keep around just to prove that I’ve had a life. Let me explain. As a person with “Passion” in my Life Purpose, I’ve tried on a lot of directions for size. For each direction there remains flotsam and jetsam. Courses, files, paperwork, photos, books and sundry memorabilia connected to each pursuit—whether it worked out well or not.
I rarely if ever use, pick up, or even really look at these remains and reminders. I realized that they’ve been there, in a sense, giving ballast to my life. They’ve given a sort of weight, body, and substance to what is otherwise as light as air.
As I’ve discarded these items, (often part of what I would call a “creative U-Turn,”) feelings of failure, self-condemnation, and of not fitting in have come up. (Surprise, surprise, these are all aspects of my Life Lesson).
Think about it. Really, our lives—all of our lives—are fragile, insubstantial things. It makes me think of that film title “The Unbearable Lightness of Being.” It’s scary to really feel that lightness. Because while it can be freeing, it also reveals what is and what is not tethering you to life.
I believe it’s the potential for joy that we stay for—so in spite of battling my dark sides as I face this clearing clutter boogeyman, I’m still betting that this will be worth it in the end. I counsel persistence. Take it from me: When you are really digging in and taking a new stand for yourself, your Life Lesson will show up with teeth and claws.
No challenge this week—just the opportunity for empathy and compassion. Give yourself a good dose of the latter!
—with love and gratitude, Lindy
