Prioritizing

As we venture into the second to last full week in our home before jumping on our bus I am beginning to feel the squeeze.  It has been, and continues to be, a juggle in trying to maintain normality for the kids in a house which is gradually being depleted of its belongings, allowing viewing for renting our home out, prioritizing what goes for good, what goes on the bus or gets stored and getting all those little jobs (you know the ones that always get put off) completed in the bus and around the house.

The name is on and we are close to flying off just like the Toroa (Albatross)

 

 

In so many ways it is lovely having less around to clean, tidy or wade through and yet in someways I am feeling a sense of loss at the way life used to be …. with lots of reminders of our life surrounding us at every turn.   There are things that we will hold onto and store, then there are of course those things that we are not attached to at all which are easy to let go of …. for the rest of our possessions they need to give evidence as to their usefulness in our upcoming bus-life or worthiness of being stored.  Everything is being prioritized at  this point in time and put into rank.

We have sold up everything (except for 10 tea-chest sized boxes) and moved  twice before this so we didn’t have a house full of clutter by any means.  It is amazing though how much sneaks into a home, even when you think you are doing a pretty good job at keeping it out.  ‘Have house, will fill’ seems to be human’s subconscious manifesto!  Most of our belongings were those that had made the final cut before and thankfully we do have a place to store some of the important things that we know we want to keep but don’t need on the bus.  For the rest …… well the next two weeks will tell 🙂

Hope this finds you enjoying the things that matter and letting go of the rest.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

De-cluttering with a twist

After a great craft evening with friends the topic of de-cluttering came up.  It is something I actually enjoy doing, I love that clear feeling after things have been released, though I have to say that I also have the  ability to swing between determined de-clutterer and happy hoarder when it comes to craft and books!

Anyway, the next day one of these friends was telling me about a book she read by Marie Kondo and how it was a different way of thinking about the whole de-cluttering thing.  Essentially the  Konmari method (Marie Kondo’s method) boils down to this:

1. Tidy in one shot.

2. Sort by category not location.

3. Ask yourself if it sparks joy.

Now it was the bottom point that got my attention.  Kondo says that instead of deciding what to get rid of we should be viewing our possession as if we are discarding everything and deciding what we want to keep – what brings us joy.

Letting go of some books.

This really hit a chord with me and I thought what if I applied this to other aspects of my life? What if I only ate the food that brought joy to my body (in a healthy way that is) rather than focusing on what not to eat? What if I only spent time with people that brought me joy rather than trying to make things work with everyone? What if I only read what brought me joy rather than what I felt I should be reading? What if I only partook in activities that brought me joy rather than worrying about missing out? Would it be too self serving or completely revolutionary?

I’m not saying it would be easy or even possible with some aspects of life.  I’m just throwing it out there because it really struck me that when I viewed my life as if I had to get rid of everything it made me focus on what was really important.  The fact is that while all the extra yummy treats are nice, extra activities and the extra things for the home are good there is very little of them that I actually need. The important things which bring me joy are few and often free – time with my husband and kids, a run with the dog, crafting, reading a good book and learning new things -everything else is a big bonus.

I love ideas that ‘rock’ my thinking like this. Ideas which make me revisit the way I am living.  It has given me lots to think about and I just thought I’d share in case you like those kind of ideas too.

Hope this finds you looking for the things that bring you joy.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Letting go and making space.

It is a public holiday here in NZ and so I’m taking the easy option tonight and cutting and pasting an interesting post from else where 🙂 So after a weekend reflexology course which focused on the Digestive system and the importance of letting go, both physically (elimination) and mentally I thought this newsletter was a good follow up. It isn’t Spring here, although the weather has been particularly nice to us lately, but a good clear out is great to do any time – you just need to be willing!

Inspiration and Transformation Newsletter Spring Cleaning © Lynne Namka, Ed. D. Life is full of choices where we can seek to go with what is REAL and TRUTH or when we go down the false road.  Our experiences color the values that we give to objects and ideas.  In today’s world, we are bombarded with stimuli and stuff!  Our brains are over-loaded with commercials, unnecessary details, worn out ideas, experiences, and traumas of the past.  No wonder everyone seems to be having memory problems.  There is just too much stuff, both inner and outer! The clutter can be emotional baggage of the mind left over from old worries, stubbornness, rigidity, fears and unresolved childhood issues.  It can be obsessions or addictions.  Clutter of the mind can be the false gods of possession, materialism, or a closed mind.  Unnecessary baggage is that which we cling to but has no real meaning.  At times we give in and take the easy way out and choose other false gods–the superficial, the addictions and dysfunctional relationships.  As Harrison said, it is all in the mind. Clutter makes us feel overwhelmed and stuck.  It weighs us down.  We feel encumbered.  Henry David Thoreau reminded us that “The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life, which is required to be exchanged for it immediately or in the long run.” The clutter can be physical possessions in terms of dispensable objects, bulging closets, overstuffed files and just plain junk!   Possessions can be functional and necessary or they can simple be a leftover accumulation of a lifetime.  Possessions cost us.  Life can become cluttered.  That which is unnecessary becomes heavy and time consuming.  We pay too much of our energy to maintain it. Much of what we own is just unnecessary clutter. What we possess, we exchange our energy for.  Arthur Dirkman speaks of the “I of possession.” “I want–energy going into possession. I will–energy of intention put of work collecting. I have–energy goes into maintaining.” We are an accumulation of all that we have experienced in our life time.  At times we get bogged down with stuff and with outdated ideas.  We can’t pick up and carry everything with us.  Some causes, friends, possessions and ideas must be dropped along the way.  Hopefully, we learn to let go of unimportant things. Hopefully, we choose to carry the real instead of the imitation.  Hopefully we hang on to those things which represent our true self. Maturity is a test of selection; knowing which values, ideas, people and objects with which to surround ourself.  Sometimes we just need a good spring housecleaning.  As Richard Cambridge said, “What is the worth of anything, but for the happiness ‘twill bring’?”  What is needed is a good sorting, throwing away and scrubbing of the mental and physical clutter in our lives.  We need to clear the cobwebs, dust the corners, shake out the rugs and rearrange the furniture in our minds.  With positive intent, we can become unencumbered.  The resulting feelings can be relief and freedom. I always smile when my clients tell me that they started cleaning out their closets or garage.  I know the ritual of Spring Cleaning, even if it is done at any time of the year, is a splendid metaphor for the mental housecleaning that the person is doing in therapy. Wisdom is acquiring the discrimination of choosing the REAL from the false gods.  This is discernment.  The discernment of knowing what is right and true for us comes from a greater source of wisdom that we tap into.  You can find the true desires in your life, rather than that which just catches your eye because it is shiny and glitter.  You can choose the substantial, not the fluff. If you allow some quiet time in your life, you can listen to that inner wisdom that tells you when you are finished with something.  Through quiet sitting or meditation, you can sort out the unnecessary, the dispensable, and the clutter.  Inner clutter, outer clutter, it is all the same with the sorting out process. So do your Spring Cleaning with vigor and excitement about what you will find out about yourself. Sit quietly and ask for discernment about what is necessary and important for you to release.  And while you are there, drop down into your longing.  Do you yearn for a simpler life?   Numerous charitable organizations are there to help you out by relieving you of your outdated physical possessions. And the inner clutter is merely fear beliefs that are asking you to bring them to the Light.  The gift is a release from the conflict that clutter brings.  In a quiet space in a corner of your mind that connects with the Greater Whole, you can find your own TRUTH.  And that is real. That alone is your truest possession. Peace and Joy, Lynne You can get Lynne’s newsletter’s free from www.AngriesOut.com. Arohanui Y. www.becominghealthy.co.nz

De-cluttering the good way

Lately I have been enjoying a blog called ‘Becoming Minimalist’ by Joshua Becker.  It has reminded me that actually one of my core values is ‘Simplicity’ although sometimes when I look at the things around me or think about my actions, they are far from simplistic.  Today I have spent the day de-cluttering our wee home; clearing, sorting, re-arranging and cleaning. The funny thing is that I thought I had cleared quite a lot, yet himself saw no real difference and to be honestly I didn’t feel that I had de-cluttered as much as I wished either.  How could it be that I was de-cluttering and yet not making head way into a clearer space?  It wasn’t until I read tonight guest blog from Trina Cress that I realised I was going about it the wrong way.

In her guest blog Trina Cress talks about how she has surrounded herself with so much ‘good’ that she is practically drowning in it.  Her question was ‘where do I really want to be—drowning in the shallow end of good, or confidently swimming in the deep end of great?’  It made me realise that while I was de-cluttering I was focusing on clearing out the ‘unwanted’ rather than deciding which ‘wanted’, though not necessarily ‘needed’ items, could be released.  In changing my focus I realised that I too was drowning a bit in the shallow end of good – never really having the time I wish for to complete things fully, feeling rushed to tick off another task and even eating too much good stuff – all healthy of course :). My perceived ‘need’ of things, all those ‘one day we may use it’ items along with all those ‘healthy’ foods that I feel I should stock my cupboards with, was clouding my view.  there is very little that we actually ‘need’ to survive yet so, so many things which we ‘want’ and label as ‘needed’.  When I look at it; my life isn’t as simple as I would like.

Enjoy the simple pleasures of a picnic lunch with the family.

I realise too that my ‘needed’ things are mainly based on emotional links.  I have connected items to past memories so that in having them around I am able to re-live those good times and feel good.  The same is true of the foods I eat when I am having cravings.  They are all foods that have some kind of emotional trigger – be it to push negative emotion away with or to re-live a positive memory. So in line with my thoughts and intentions to ‘de-clutter the good way’  I’m inviting you to join me this week in following a bit of Trina’s advice.  Below is a cut and paste of the activity however if you wish to read the whole article then head over to Becoming Minimalist  or Beginner Beans to see Trina’s actual examples.

1. Identify where you are.

I started by listing all the specifics that were taking my resources. All of those good things—the projects, tasks and life happenings—that filled my days to overflowing. I had an “Oh, now I get it” moment as I realized all the directions I was sending my time and energy.

2. Discover where you really want to be.

I then dreamed about where I really wanted to be—drowning in the shallow end of good, or confidently swimming in the deep end of great? In order to get deep into great, I had to be honest about those projects, tasks and life seasons where I really wanted to focus. Which did I care about and want to pursue above the others?

3. Consider what’s holding you back.

Then, came the tough questions. What good things were drowning me? What was holding me back? What good things were getting in my way of doing something great, or doing anything at all?

4. Let go of good for better. 

Next, came the hard part of letting go. I had to confront my hang-ups to letting go of those good projects, tasks and happenings. I couldn’t let guilt control me anymore—if I wanted to swim in great, I needed to go through the challenging process of letting go of the excess good.

5. Live simply with purpose where you are.

Finally, it was time to pursue my new focus on purpose and with appreciation. What would I do today to implement my new simple, intentional, contented focus?

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz