There’s nothing better than a clean out. The past few months it seems to be the theme of my life. From cleaning out old storage areas and decluttering our house to throwing out all the freshly-bought freezer food after the kids left the freezer door open (bloody kids!).
Heck, I’ve even undergone a colonoscopy and – wow! Wasn’t that a true ‘clean out’ experience that I’d like to forget.
Yep, it’s been a month of non-stop clean-up, and it’s left me realising just how much I have in my life that is weighing me down.
The thing is, as much as decluttering sucks, it’s also so good for the soul. And I’m not just talking about old clothes, broken toys and untouched kitchen accessories you no longer have a use for.
I’m also talking about our time. Because, let’s face it, no one needs to be weighed down by things that aren’t ‘sparking joy’.
The more ‘adult’ we become, the more we realise our time is precious and our tolerance for crap and time-wasters becomes very low…This is especially the case with people.
I used to be so tolerant before kids.
Old Bree: Cancel our plans last-minute? No worries, I’ll easily find someone else to hang out with.
New Bree: Cancel our plans last-minute? I may possibly kill you (unless you are really sick and I’ll bring you soup).
Old Bree: Sure, I’ll tolerate the fact you are treating me poorly. It’s ok I can handle it. It’s been like this for years.
New Bree: Step up or step off. Ain’t no mumma got time for this type of treatment!
And no mumma does! We don’t deserve to be treated poorly or to spend time with those who may be toxic to our lives. Life is getting more and more convoluted and sometimes, it’s better to just wave away the clutter, the chaos and the crap.
The only way we can have more of what we want, is by making space. The only way to make space is by letting go of what is no longer sparking joy in our life.
So, here’s my mission for all of us: To focus on what matters – belongings we really love; the people who love us for who we are, warts and all; and the things that make us light up. Let’s get clearer about what we want in life, and more importantly what we don’t want in life, and let’s do our damn best to live the life of our dreams.
Who’s with me?
