Oh, for a simple yet rich life, without messy, problematic distractions; to be able to strip back the ‘noise’ to really notice, and appreciate, what’s there.
The freedom to explore and fulfil potential without the interference and all that gets in the way. What happiness, joy and liberty.
Fantasy and part delusion of course – it’s inevitable that life is messy, complex and uncontrolled.
It’s part of what makes life fabulous and such an adventure. It’s part of what makes us grow, learn, develop, thrive. It’s not really the external clutter that gets in our way, it’s our internal clutter that makes it hard.
I love Leo Babauta’s blog zenhabits.net; I’ve been following him for some years now and have enjoyed his journey, witnessing his transformation.
I also subscribe to his Sea Change programme as I find it a useful companion and reminder on my own journey – I don’t follow rigidly, just as the modules suit or fit in with my own focus. His July module happens to be on decluttering, which is perfect for me at this moment in time.
I think about decluttering as shedding accumulated and unnecessary ‘weight’ or attachments – holding on to things, beliefs, behaviours or relationships that no longer serve any positive purpose, but instead hold us back or tie us down.
Our physical ‘clutter’, i.e. stuff, is often representative of our internal ‘stuff’.
When my office environment is messy, I know I’m not focussed and trying to do too many things. When my in-box is overflowing, I know I’m holding onto or procrastinating about things through fear, lack of clarity and avoidance of pain. When hours disappear into the rabbit hole of the internet and social media – that flood of information and connections rushing by every second, I know I’m caught in a whirlpool of the fear of missing out and what I should or could do, know or be, rather than simply getting on with how I truly WANT to be.
So, although I know it’s internal clutter I’m clearing, I can start to get to it through clearing the external clutter, gradually paring back to only things I use or love and bring me pleasure.
In the process it gives me the opportunity to examine my beliefs, the meaning I’m holding and what supports or holds me back.
So what clutter, internally or externally, are you holding onto?
