8 Reasons to Let Go of the Past
Moving.
There’s nothing that stimulates a purge as much as moving does. It can be a lot of hard work—the sorting, the selling, the recycling, the giving away, and then finding the right spot for what is left. And it seems like there is always more that can be purged. But when it’s done, the benefits are many and ongoing.
My advice…don’t wait until you move to make your home, and life, right again. There are things we hold onto for good reasons—believe me, I had a good reason to hold onto everything. There was always something I was going to use again, “some day”. But, paring your life down to what you need and enjoy every day, brings a great deal of freedom.
I’m not going to go into the scientific reasons why purging is good for you, but these are some real and genuine benefits I’ve enjoyed from my recent purge.
- I actually know what I have and where it is—which means everything is quickly within my grasp when I need it.
- It’s much easier to keep the home clean, and I’m faster to declutter when items build up—like mail, or stuff thrown in a junk drawer or under a sink.
- The items I kept, I enjoy more—My best things are out to share and they are clean. My favorite vases have flowers in them instead of dust!
- Anxiety reduction—I breathe easier in a clean, uncluttered space. There’s literally room to think.
- I’m more focused and creative—something about not having the distractions of unpaid bills, or papers that need sorting or shredding, or other unfinished projects calling to me.
- My family enjoy our space more—there’s room to hangout, whether it’s cooking, playing, reading, or just chatting.
- I feel more powerful. Not sure why. Maybe clarity, control, and comfort beget confidence, and that can actually be gained through your environment? I wonder if anyone has done a study on this?
- I love coming home, being home and sharing our home. Sure, I always loved my home, but now I love it even more—and so does everyone else—it’s welcoming, peaceful, and ready for action.
A home is a sanctuary, so make yours the best it can possibly be now, and enjoy it now. Don’t put off the projects on your list until you sell your home. Get rid of all the extra books, furniture, sheets, towels, clothes, outdated food, unused equipment, and whatever else is taking up room in your physical space (and therefore your mental space).
Make room for new ideas, new experiences and new people. Maybe even a new you will emerge with it, and that’s the best part of all.
~Tricia
Tricia Cerrone is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur with a focus on mentoring young adults and creating stories that inspire hope. Check out her multi-award winning series The Black Swan Files.