Lesson #42: Lighten your life

The weight of clutter

Do you have a problem with clutter? I think it’s a common problem of our modern world. With the systems of mass production, advertising (brainwashing) that uses psychology to suggest that ‘things’ can give us the feelings and meaning we desire, and the many reasons why we hold onto the things that come into our lives, only one being the work involved in getting rid of it, it is no wonder that we tend to have way more stuff than we need or want.

5 day challenge

Over the past five days I’ve participated in a free 5 day Declutter Your Life challenge with Denise Linn and Hay House. I’ve been decluttering my house for the past nine years, on and off, but felt inspired to join in with this challenge particularly because it was being run by Denise Linn and also because the timing felt ideal.

Decluttering has a ripple on effect into our whole life and, given that I have the sense that I am embarking on a ‘new life’ this year, dealing with the clutter that still remains feels important.

Space Clearing

Years ago I picked up a book by Denise Linn called ‘Space Clearing’, and I have used and returned to this book many times. The book describes lessons and processes for clearing space to bring in spirit. Decluttering is just one part of this process, but a critical part. It took me about seven years of moving into my current home before I had decluttered enough to do a space clearing. I moved here ten years ago with my late partner and our son, plus a massive accumulation of all of our stuff. This house had been a holiday house so it already had plenty of stuff. The house was overflowing with stuff. I’ve come a LONG way. And with the inspiration from the challenge I now intend to complete what remains (though is it ever complete?!)

A journey of transformation

As this challenge made clear — clutter clearing isn’t just about “stuff.” It is a profound journey of transformation. Because all that stuff is attached to memories, feelings, ideas. As you clear out what no longer serves your life now or your future, you create space for new experiences and energy to enter.

The power of intention

The transformation is made possible not just by the clearing but also by your intention. Denise advised that, each time you clear, you set an intention for what you want to bring into your life. In this way you are not only clearing away what pulls your energy down, you are also raising your energy by calling in what you want in your life. This intention can be specific to the area you are working on or an overall intention for your life. As Denise mentioned many times, when you clutter clear with intent, your results are ten-fold.

A way to minimise the chaos of decluttering

Even a tiny amount of clearing can have a big impact. The process suggested was to set an amount of time such as 10, 20 or 30 minutes and to spend the first half of that time clearing with intention, and then the second half cleaning up. This way you don’t end up with a huge chaotic pile to deal with.

The house/body correlation

Our home can be seen as a reflection of our body, and clutter in certain areas can impact related parts of our body. As an example, a staircase in the middle of your house would correlate to your heart, so clearing it can mean a stronger heart. Clearing your house, then, will improve your health. For me it will especially help me clear my head — especially when I finally clear those 30 years of papers from all the hundreds of courses I’ve done.

Clear your way to move forward

Clutter keeps you bound up with your past. Our possessions are a metaphor for who we are. We become attached to our stuff with energy ties that pull us back to the past.

Being attached to stuff or people isn’t a bad thing — unless it depletes you and drags you down.

As you clear away your clutter you are cutting ties that pull you back so that you can move forward in your life.

Clear your time

Clutter takes up time. You are in service to it. It can slow down progress as you search for things or have to navigate your way around it.

In writing this I have become so much clearer why it is so important for me to finally deal with the last of the piles of clutter in my house. I have come a LONG way, but there is still a way to go.

My intention

I am setting the intention that as I clear my clutter I open up to more clarity, confidence and financial abundance. It’s time. With my new puppy in tow I am happy to be finally making some big shifts forward in my life.

Want to join me?

Wishing you clarity, joy and lightness as you do the work of clearing those things that are draining your energy.