Issue 6 -- Giving up the old

A while ago I heard a report that the Personal Storage industry was among the fastest growing industries in the United States. Personal storage warehouses are popping up everywhere, spoiling the natural beauty of their surroundings and feeding into the rising trend of saving everything. Americans, it seems, have grown out of their attics, their basements, and their garages. Junk of past years now occupies these orange/white depots and, according to some people interviewed in the report, sits there for years and years without ever being visited.

I remember commenting to someone then about how lucky we were to be moving every few years. Although not pleasant, the move at least gives us a chance to dispose of things we no longer need or want. Every three years -- as we pack – we look through everything we own and decide what goes with us and what does not. But, until last year, we still always ended up with more things than we really cared for. So what happened last year?

I decided to look at this “weeding” process in a different light. If before I simply disposed of what looked old or was not needed, now I look at the energy behind my things and I look at whether they still represent what I believe in today. Because, let's face it, many objects that we hold on to may represent who we were long ago and not who we are now. Some may come from times that have been difficult and resonate with memories of sadness; others may have been symbolic to us in the past but no longer carry the same meaning. Why hold on to them then? Why drain yourself and your house of energy with clutter that is not useful for who you are becoming?

The thing is that external clutter can very often be a manifestation of the internal clutter. We hide behind the clutter – we hide the “real us” – and, as we do that, we decrease the space available for the new and exciting things to come into our life. By letting the things we no longer care about occupy the space, we reject the new things that can bring fresh energy. Look carefully around you and, as you pack each object, ask yourself: what does it represent to me? What feeling do I get from it? How important is it to me now and how valid is it to my future path? If it is valid, go ahead and keep it. If not, get rid of it.

The same goes for old habits. We are creatures of many, many habits -- most of which come from our past. So how valid are they in our lives now? Do we want to keep them?

It's truly amazing what happens once you decrease the clutter. Yes, it's scary and it makes us feel vulnerable at times, but the result is well worth it. The universe does not tolerate vacuum and, once you free the space, it will respond by filling it up with energy and excitement to support who you are now and who you want to become.