I’ve been digging into something pretty powerful lately. The idea around LESS. Not only decluttering your home and the things, but also decluttering your life. Hear me out…
As I entered into motherhood, life slowly took control of me…rather than ME feeling in control of MY life. I love my family, I loved the life we were building, I'm filled with gratitude.
And at the same time, I was living in a fog, on auto pilot, rarely stopping to think or feel, let alone rest. The weight of the world felt heavy on my shoulders and it was pushing me under.
Something had to change. I didn’t realize it, but I actually started decluttering my life before I was even aware of it. It started in January 2021, and it started with me.
My thoughts about myself. My need to keep up although I was drowning. My need to do all the things, all the time. My need to impress others for fear of judgement. My need to paint a pretty picture when I felt nothing like that inside. My need for the next best thing rather than living in the present moment. My need to say yes to everyone and everything but me. My limiting thoughts that prevented me from living authentically.
I didn’t even know who I was…so how could I live authentically when I cringed to even look into the mirror?
I also realized that many times the hardest person to be alone with was myself…instead finding ways to distract, numb out and avoid who I was.
It’s been a journey of self reflection this year. The moment I started accepting myself, loving myself and listening to myself…that was the moment the weight started to lift.
Decluttering my emotional space was the most powerful for me. It was the first step in a new direction, the beginning of less clutter.
I’ve always been an organized, minimalist person. I have no problem throwing things away, decluttering, donating and letting go of stuff. That came easy to me so I considered myself tidy.
Sure, my space is clean and orderly…but my head and my heart were a mess. We all carry so much and hold on to things in different ways.
Decluttering your life can sound like a simple task to check off the list. Clear out your closet, donate a few coats, clean through the tupperware drawer and you are good to go!
That IS a great first step. Once you start clearing clutter in any area (your home, your head, or your heart), it opens up a new way of thinking and being. A feeling of lightness. A realization that all that stuff you were/are holding onto takes up a lot of unnecessary space!
When you remove unwanted things, thoughts, beliefs…you make space for the things, thoughts and beliefs that truly matter.
You actually make room for MORE rather than LESS. Less clutter equals more clarity.
I have this vision of myself stuck under a bunch of old school dumbbell weights, lots of them. I can barely move or see because there are so many. My goal this year has been to help that girl get out from under there. One by one, removing the weights.
Sometimes the weight is a big one and sometimes it’s a small 2 lb dumbell.
The thing is....they all matter and they are all heavy.
Slowly I am noticing that I can breathe a little better. I can sit with myself a little longer. Over time I’ve been able to look into the mirror without cringing, but instead with love.
Slowly the weight is lifting and I am feeling free.