Clearing Out the Clutter in Our Lives

For years, I have held on to stuff that I knew I needed to get rid of. Like so many things, I don’t know why it took me so long to open up that first box or drawer and just begin. I suppose I fell prey to my brain’s default scarcity conversations (too little time, low priority). It got so ridiculous that I even moved from New York to Florida with things in boxes that I never bothered to open, because I “had no time.” What I didn’t realize was that so many of the things that, erroneously, I deemed to be “low priority” were the very things that would make seismic positive shifts in my life when I finally decided to take them on. Clearing out the “stuff” has been one of the big ones!

Amidst the day job(s), family, chores and side projects, things like getting rid of stuff sitting dormant in boxes in the garage, sifting through cluttered drawers, tackling an overstuffed closet-full of things I haven’t worn in years, that no longer fit… I never made the connection that these things might be creating stagnation and energetic blocks in my life – or that they may be a reflection of things that I have buried or failed to address in my unconscious mind.

But indeed, how we do one thing is likely to reflect how we do many things. What is the result of holding onto things that no longer serve us, nor support our best interests? When do dormant things, toxic associations and outgrown or outdated beliefs become a huge clog in our abundance flow, blocking out the light and prosperity in our lives? Can holding on to these things manifest in physically adverse ways? Can they take an emotional toll? ABSOLUTELY THEY CAN. These behaviors and inactivity can manifest in the form of excess weight, anxiety, depression, lethargy, or even chronic illness. Depending on the severity of the inertia, one can create a feedback loop where they are too sick and tired to ever take action, which perpetuates these physical and emotional manifestations.

I know it may seem overwhelming. I know it may feel like a sentimental ticking time bomb to some. But we must look: not just at all this “stuff”, but at the core beliefs and reasons why we have held on to them for so long. Why are we holding on to something “just in case?” What are we afraid of? Is this a response to a feeling of lack? How do we apply these same behaviors to our outward lives? Is there a person who we’ve known forever who always sucks us dry energetically, yet we hang on for the sake of our history, or because they are related to us? Why do we sabotage our fitness goals or sell out our dreams because there are “more important things to do?” What I have come to realize through my own emotional, spiritual, physical and spatial excavation, clearing and rearranging is that getting rid of stuff lets the light in. It lets in new opportunities and new relationships. It allows more empowering beliefs to emerge. It can even help with weight loss and financial matters! I do believe that having a true and deep clearing happens both physically and emotionally, because these facets are intimately tied. So whether you start with journaling, a deeply introspective meditation or opening a box in your garage, just start. You can go as slow or as fast as you are able to and comfortable with, but once you start, you will want to keep going. Enjoy the journey!