Last summer, for the first time since I left my parents’ house, I managed to put all my clothes in a single wardrobe. And all my shoes in the hall cupboard. Without buying extra furniture, and without taking over any of my family member’s space.
Don’t laugh, this is a massive achievement. For decades, despite the very decent size of my dressing room, I have been packing my light dresses and sleeveless t-shirts in carton boxes during the cold season, storing them in the laundry room, to make extra space for my fall & winter collection. Same for the shoes. And vice-versa when spring started.
And every move was highly demanding in time and energy. Especially knowing that I was wearing 20% of my clothes 80% of the time (like the vast majority of us by the way).
Slowly but surely (it took me at least 2 years and it carries on), I started selling and donating what I did not need or want. The more I saw stuff leaving the house, the lighter I felt. And the more my level of energy rose.
Unconsciously, this step was the starting point of something bigger. Little by little, beyond things, I also got rid of habits, attitudes, limiting beliefs, relationships that were not in sync with how I wanted to live my life.
For instance, I stopped drinking one Coke zero a day, I stopped “shopping as an activity”, I transformed my Money mindset from “Money will give you freedom” to “What if freedom could get you money”, I stopped being attached to what other people think, I stopped believing “I am not creative / strong / talented enough”, I closed my Facebook account, I unsubscribed from many newsletters, I stopped thinking solely with my brain (welcome guts and heart), I carefully choose the people I spend time with.
I am not where I want to be. Yet. I am screwing up all the time (as I am drafting those lines, I am actually drinking a Coke Zero, 1st of the week, and it makes me smile), and I keep adjusting down the path. And that is perfectly fine! At least I am in motion.
This is not an easy game to play. This requires commitment, persistence and courage. And a permission slip to fail and to bounce back (you give it to yourself!). But for one piece of effort, you get 10x fun and reward.
This journey helped me and keeps helping me create space for what really matters: pampering my family and tribe, connecting brain+body+nature, local volunteering work, the sparks in my client’s eyes. Inspire and be inspired.
And this is how I enjoy my life. Fully.
Your turn … What are you getting rid of today?
Observe how you feel about it and what it creates space for.
And may you need a gentle nudge on this journey, let’s create space for a conversation.
Have FUN!
Delphine