Standing in the face of an insurmountable amount of clutter, I stared in disbelief, trying to comprehend it all. For years, I allowed my hallway closet to become a dumping ground for all things I wanted to ignore… childhood memorabilia, worn and outdated clothing, a large amount of books, cassette tapes (yes, I said cassette tapes), and much more. All of these items, I reasoned, I would find time to repurpose, reorganize and/or remove “later”. However, that time never came, and here I was, contemplating how I allowed my chaotic closet of clutter to come to be.
After a few moments of deep breaths and silent stillness, I chose to patiently and mindfully declutter my closet one item at a time and make the process my own moving meditation. Here is what I discovered:
Chaotic Closet, Chaotic Mind. My closet was a physical representation of a multitude of disorganized thoughts I chose to bury deep within the crevices of my mind. Like the miscellaneous items stored in my closet corners, I was stuffing thoughts I did not want to address deep into my subconscious, hoping all would disintegrate in the darkness never to return.
Clear Your Clutter, Clear Your Mind. As I moved through the closet clearing process, space opened on my closet shelves and floor, and also in my mind. I let go of items no longer serving a positive purpose, and simultaneously, I was able to do the same with thoughts I had buried away. A heaviness l did not realize I was carrying lifted, and I felt free to accept new and positive inspirations into my mind and space.
Clutter Gave Me an Opportunity to Call Myself a Failure. Maintaining a closet of clutter continually validated a belief in my own failure. If I am a failure at keeping a closet organized, how can I succeed at anything? I allowed my fears and insecurities to fabricate and assign a failure label to who I am and I wore that label choosing to believe it as truth. Our truth is what we choose. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Try This Contemplative Exercise for Yourself. Choose a space that you would like to organize…whether it is a file drawer, closet, room, office, or an area outside. Observe the space and everything in it one item at a time. Spend some time reflecting on each item and asking yourself: Does this item inspire peace within me? Is this item supportive to my well-being?
Anything that does not inspire peace and is not supportive to your well-being, express gratitude for its presence, then let it go. Notice your thoughts and emotions as you do this, accepting, allowing, and experiencing fully whatever comes.
As you continue to participate in the decluttering process, notice the space you are creating in your mind, heart, and physical environment. What do you choose, if anything, to fill the newly decluttered space in your mind, heart, and physical environment? Whatever you choose or do not choose, may it be what supports and nourishes you.
With Love, Light, and Gratitude,
Sandy
