Dare to join the De-Clutter Clan
Decluttering is a very powerful term and activity and process to go through and often results in increased mindfulness practices. It is a magical process, I employ readily whenever I feel resistance, a blockage, a disappointment, a sense of overwhelm besieging me or it feels as if the universe is going against me.
Decluttering can mean everything from clearing out the sock drawer or the underwear drawer all the way to doing a complete technology de-clutter across all your devices, to re-designing the storage in your kitchen or going room by room throughout your own house.
It’s a process of emptying out, involving decision- making about the validity or otherwise of items in your life, in question, re-positioning them or discarding them.The word, discarding here describes the whole process of deciding what is happening to the item, throwing it out, donating to charity, re-homing it somewhere in or out of your home, packaging it for required travel and then delivering it. Of course, you would deal with all the items in one go, one bulk trip to get rid of them.Sometimes the sheer exercise of cleaning out your make-up storage of the “battered and mostly used bits and pieces” is a cleansing exercise that can revitalise your outlook. It can be a simple job or a series of small simple jobs that leads you down a path toward much clearer thinking or faster, more concise daily rituals.
These are some of the practical aspects of decluttering; however, the reward of the practical aspects are profound in terms of the mind & body conjunction and if treated purposely can add a whole new and coalescing dimension to life.
The Silver lining;
the intention and the conclusion
Perhaps this name seems like lumping all things together, however the silver lining of decluttering is similar to giving your brain a holiday. The intention of what you are going to do, just the logic and linear path of planning it, is the equivalent of looking at travel brochures for a select few places you are planning to visit.Doing this offers our brain an oasis and this oasis is from work that it is simple and to the point. Seeing it as a journey to the end and on an intended timeline, is punctuated by flares of memory and tingles of sensation and has the potential to be a truly liberating inner game.So those are the benefits that I value the most. Perhaps, recognising them still may not be resonating with you – so, let me explain!
How the brain sees itself in our life , how the heart sees itself in our life and how the spirit sees itself in our inner life are intertwined and vitally important.
# It is only when we create new space around us in our environment, that our mind can see a way forward to fit in and make connections with some new thinking or knowledge that is trying to connect with existing bits of knowledge.
I don’t mean the mind is limited, I do mean however, that the mind becomes a bit clogged, a bit of a quagmire and prefers to travel along the old used neurons, the byways it knows, the channels already etched deeply in our thinking.
The process of decluttering has the effect of lifting us out of one of those old pre-programmed thinking channels and forging new ones. It is reminiscent of a spring clean, or planting new flowers and vegetables in spring. The brain allows a lot of energy to embed the new information immediately, as it is fun and new.
That energy allocation to forge new neural pathways only comes if we are consistent and deliberate and follow through on the whole process once we start (clean the sock drawer or re-invigorating the storage in the kitchen, garage etc.). The brain loves to lay new pathways as long as everything is in agreement following a plan. Over our entire life we can grow new neural pathways. The latest neuroscience now tells us this in no uncertain terms. This is indeed, a very healthful way to live, forging ahead, or planting a rich garden for a healthy longevity. This neuroplasticity engagement helps keep the aging process, the onset perhaps of Alzheimer’s or dementia potentially at bay.
#The heart sense of it can be revelation too. Did you know our heart has as many neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine) as our brain does and quite often tells our brain /mind what to do?
In this sphere the heart can embark on 2 pathways, - it can subside into sadness and regret for getting rid of things that hold an emotional tingle for us or it can go forward into decluttering, all the while mindfully releasing old emotional ties and looking forward to making a clear space for new ones. One’s intention and attitude here are all important. Our heart drives that – if we are prepared to go through the process and leave behind old attachments, learnings and feelings, the heart will fulsomely carry it forward with trepidation and joy.
# The spirit sees it as a lightening of the load, or a re-dispersal of the load and in concert with the heart is willing to go forward if we are clear, steadfast and determined in our intention to de-clutter, small or large scale depending upon the instance. If we give our spirit mixed messages – in that we are willing but can’t be bothered or just want to tinker at the edges – then the spirit will suffer with lack of energy, lack of direction and faint-heartedness.
There are many ways to tackle decluttering, in a myriad of small, big, and bigger ways and how you embark will synthesise mind, heart and sprit.One is most affected not by the last incident but in fact, the first incidence because that initial determination and the quality of that determination sets up the complementary brain, heart and spirit response.Some people prefer lots of continual small scale decluttering to keep life organised for them. Many others prefer the build-up to necessity to occur and then embark on a process of sequential decluttering. Whichever is your best operational mode for de-cluttering, then actually begin it, mindfully, committed to completion and following through.
My clients have found beginning a change / renewal journey with an initial decluttering episode (be it big or small) is particularly helpful. The process creates new space for taking learning and new thinking on board, ultimately it is the inner you blessing the process. To get started can be a real hurdle for some and to help I offer these ideas.
✪ The end result is a clean slate
This is vitally important for heart, brain and spirit – producing the belief that I can expand, into more, take on board new thinking and re-shuffle and revamp my conditioned predispositions and beliefs. Progress with space clearing to allow room for recognising the audaciousness you have, allows that little inside voice to become clearer, more succinct, able to be heard better, and is powered by the act of decluttering. It is a fact that we, in first world countries and predominantly the western world, are lured, cajoled and bombarded constantly with the newest ‘must have” widget. Our time, our homes, our tech set-ups and our minds become overloaded. Because with the new widget comes something new to take on-board, learn and accommodate in our daily regimes, oftentimes, though we don’t find the time to discard our out-dated learning and practices or even the time to really upgrade them and file what we need to keep from the old. It all just builds up and we lose bits of information. By this process bits become disconnected to the whole body of that hierarchy of knowledge and these floating bits of information become the build-up of the dross in our minds.So de-cluttering is the process to trim down, make better synapsed connections, clean out the plague build-up in our homes, systems, rituals, practices and brain channels. In fact, it is often the way to delightful liberation and deserves to be celebrated.
I have 2 vital key offerings that take de-cluttering from a gruesome chore to a dance step and a celebratory process.
One is an info-graphic on decluttering packed with very useful tips to get you started.
The other is assisted support by phone during a decluttering process – Done 4 You Declutter Days. Both make the process of decluttering a pleasant experience making delight and new decisiveness a vital part of the experience. It is also one that starts the process of taking away the onion-like layers piled up in you until we reveal your audacious core.
In the 21st century, decluttering is a vital to-do that opens doorway upon doorway to the inner you, your audacious core and leads us to the path of self-actualisation of your best self.
Stand audacious today and try some de-cluttering yourself. Link up with me for a “Done for You Declutter Day” (email me at 4nikki@nikkiacreber.vip) and make it an adventurous and joyous undertaking.