It’s been my experience that when life seems so unmanageable that I’m paralyzed by even the most insignificant decisions— I’m talking completely inconsequential-totally-does-not-matter choices of the day, like what color underwear to put on (actually that may be an important decision though. If it’s some sort of a holiday and you want to fully feel the festivity of the moment, a corresponding underwear color can help set the tone. Or what about the days you’re feeling blah inside? The last thing I need in those moments is a gray or neutral tone further cementing that dispiriting energy beneath my clothing). Oops, I’ve veered off into word clutter. See how fast it accumulates for me? THAT’S what I’m talking about! 😁 Let’s circle back…
When life seems unmanageable, I remind myself of 3 words: ONE SMALL SPACE.
Pinpoint the location of the chaos and clear it— ONE SMALL SPACE at a time. Small! Teeny-tiny, not attempting the whole damn elephant as those of us whose inner default leans toward the all-or-nothing may naturally gravitate to. For my sake and yours, let’s repeat it again: ONE SMALL SPACE.
As with most soul workouts, it may be simple but it’s not easy. Acknowledging this fact before proceeding gives you the fortitude not to quit just because it’s difficult and doesn’t come “naturally” to you. (So little of the meaningful in life actually will) The difficulty of the task serves purposes you may likely not be privy to initially but will serve you later on.
As you strengthen your pinpointing muscle it will become easier to home in on the location and/or sources of chaos in your life. Here are some common areas worth investigating:
- your living spaces
- your habits
- your body
- your partnerships
- your worklife
- your friendships
- your responsibilities
- fill in your own ____________
These are some starting points in looking for what I’ve come to refer to as chaotic clutter. If this concept is new to you, understand that what constitutes as clutter in your life is individual to you and must be deciphered as such by your own self before you can go about de-cluttering your body-being-life. In other words, you won’t change anything in your life until it’s YOUR decision to change it. Whether it’s a messy house, a toxic relationship, or an unhealthy habit, only YOU possess the whys required to bring about lasting and sustainable change.
If there’s chaotic clutter in your life that you wish to be free of, know that you have the power to do so. ONE SPALL SPACE at a time. It’s where we begin— not where we stay.
Stay tuned for posts intended to fuel our efforts.