GO Month: Mental Clutter - G
Let's celebrate Get Organized (GO) Month by ridding ourselves of mental clutter from A to Z!
To celebrate Get Organized (GO) Month I'm doing a series of posts on the mental clutter that can be just as pervasive as physical clutter. For each letter, I'll talk about a mental stumbling block that often impacts our well-being.
Let's focus on G ... Guilt
We all have various reasons for holding onto our possessions, but a common underlying theme is GUILT!
Guilt because the item cost a lot of money, guilt because someone gave it to us, guilt because it reminds us of a deceased loved one, guilt because we don't want to be wasteful, guilt because maybe our kids will want it someday, guilt because you might need it someday, guilt because you feel bad saying no to a commitment, guilt because shopping feels good. And on and on.
Guilt can be almost paralyzing. You avoid making a decision on your stuff to avoid those guilty feelings and so the clutter remains. Yet the guilt rears its head every now and again. You feel like if you get rid of something that you'll not honor your loved one, you'll lose a piece of your identity, or you'll forget the memory.
Ways to combat this thinking include:
Own the guilt and recognize that you are the one choosing to carry this burden (this is tough, I know)
Learn that "No" is a complete sentence when you don't want to commit to something
Have a last hurrah with your item so you can feel confident about releasing it (ie; throw a fancy dinner party with grandma's china that you think is so ugly but you save because she passed away and after the party say goodbye to it).
Enjoy the generosity and thoughtfulness of a gift but not the gift itself - in other words, accept gifts with love and then pass them along!
Try a shopping ban for a while to see how that feels and see if you can't find a replacement activity (Remember retail therapy is not a very healthy coping skill).
"One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go.
Whether it's guilt, anger, love, loss, or betrayal.
Change is never easy.
We fight to hold on and we fight to let go."
Mareez Reyes
Here's to freeing ourselves from the mental clutter of guilt!
Please share with someone who needs a clearer mindset.
featured image by Free-Photos from Pixabay