Discover Your Worth! Last week we talked about bouncing back from burnout. One of the steps included dealing with overwhelming clutter. So, in the name of transparency I must confess. I needed help to deal with my clutter!
For months, I made appointments with myself to spring clean my room. But in all honesty, all I did with those hours was shred a few papers and reshuffle and relocate paperwork. When I was really ready for change I called Nikki Klugh, a holistic interior designer. I enrolled in her “Refresh & Renew” 30-Day Declutter Program—ready to make change.
But then… she asked for pictures of my room. I balked. I cringed. I wasn’t ready for anyone to see just how far out of control things had gotten. Besides, I didn’t want her to think that I had a “real” issue.
But, I wanted change, so I let her into my mess and my journey began. As I am working towards creating more organization in my life, I see that the physical clutter often has an emotional/spiritual parallel.
If you find yourself dealing with clutter, here are some practical and spiritual actions to take:
1. Crawl, Before You Walk: Blocking off hours to deal with my paperwork was part of the problem. Unknowingly, I was creating additional overwhelm. I was relieved when I was asked to just spend 30 minutes each day creating order.
Similarly, internal clutter can overwhelm us. We get tired of struggling with the same negative thoughts, the same issues and brokenness in our relationships. We vow to make changes, but end up more steeped in the behaviors we hate. Unrealistic growth expectations can be a part of creating—and perpetuating—the cycle. Don’t expect to have it all together overnight, instead focus on addressing one thing at a time.
2. Separate & Sort: Once we got into action, the first thing I had to do was separate and sort. I had to analyze the type of clutter I was holding on to. My biggest problem was paper. I found receipts from a 2005 trip to Europe…I guess the souvenirs weren’t enough! Once separated, things had to be sorted into piles of 1) give it away, 2) trash it or 3) file it! The key thing to decluttering is that when you handle an item, you take immediate action—either give it away, trash it or file it.
Emotionally speaking, we have to sort through our emotions and thoughts to determine where they are coming from and how to handle them. Are we experiencing communication breakdowns? Overwhelm issues? Discipline issues? Once you know the nature of it, you can plan your attack. Sometimes we are dealing with other people’s “stuff” and need to draw boundaries. We have to let them take responsibility. Other times, we simply have to trash it—meaning, stop giving it any place in our lives. Then, there are times when we are unable to deal with the issue in the present moment and need to file it away until we can. Once we’ve determined how to handle our emotions, we will feel a greater sense of control, power and ultimately, peace.
Do Your Work! Get to work decluttering. Find an expert, book or articles that will give you a practical strategy. As you apply the physical strategies, look for the applicable spiritual parallels that apply.
Define Your Worth! This week, affirm, “I choose peace! I live my life and make decisions free from chaos. I live from an ordered mind.”
Recently named the “North America’s Next Greatest Speaker” by eWomenNetwork, Coach Felicia is a Certified Executive Coach who empowers her clients to “Turn their Worth into Wealth” as she partners with them to DISCOVER their WORTH, DO their WORK and DEFINE their WEALTH. Get more insight, download the FREE “8 Choices Winners Must Make” seminar MP3 at www.coachfelicia.com!
Copyright 2013 by Felicia T. Scott. All rights reserved.