Clearing Out and Moving On
Isn’t it astonishing just how much the stuff of life accumulates?
Whether it’s the special shell found on the beach, the shiny conker clamouring to be picked up on an autumn walk or the endless ideas and musings jotted down for future reference.
All of a sudden there’s stuff everywhere!
Both Extremes
Having experienced both extremes of keeping nearly everything then shifting to an almost empty environment, my preference now is to inhabit the space somewhere between the two.
I’m drawn towards the elegant simplicity of Zen with the added warmth of rich colours and carefully chosen items that have a meaning, purpose and/or an aesthetic quality to enrich my surroundings.
Being organised comes quite naturally to me, and the many projects and people I’m usually working with simultaneously all have their own brightly coloured files, folders and trays.
Clearing Out and Moving On
Yet over time, stuff still accumulates!
People grow into the fullness of authentic being and are ready to “fly solo”, and the latest developments for creative projects supersede the sketchy mind maps of preliminary ideas.
The natural cycle of alpha and omega means that completions of all kinds periodically require clearing out to avoid eventual drowning in a sea of accumulated clutter.
This clearing process creates the all-important space for fresh energy to flow in and opens the way for new adventures to arise as I move on to the next phase of the unfolding dream.
Lighter, Clearer and Liberated
So this week I’ve made time to:
- Review and mind map my intentions and priorities for the next chapter of my work.
- Go through my files, notes and journals with the paper shredder by my side.
- Courageously let go of everything that feels like it belongs to yesterday.
- Re-organize my folders and trays to reflect the emerging vision so far.
- Fully embrace the fact that I don’t yet know many of the details.
As a result, I can honestly say that I feel lighter, clearer and delightfully liberated!
Windows of Creative Opportunity
For many of the people I work with this process can feel overwhelming, especially when notes and materials for all kinds of creative projects have been accumulating for some time.
Often there are journals from decades of writing and ideas scribbled on scraps of paper kept in random places which inevitably take a frustratingly long time to find.
The searching uses up precious windows of creative opportunity and energy; no wonder some projects take years to complete!
Small Consistent Steps
No matter how chaotic things may currently be, it simply takes small, consistent steps to clear out one file or one pile of papers to set the process in motion.
From my personal experience and professional mentoring, the resulting feelings of energized freedom usually provide the inspiration to keep the momentum going.
Clearing out and moving on is an integral part of the transformative experience of Conscious and Creative Living as a vibrant and dynamic approach to life.
So let me know if you need any guidance or support; I’ll be more than happy to help!
How easy do you find it to clear the stuff of life and move on freely to pastures new? Please share your comments or ask a question below. Thank you!
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If you haven’t already done so, you might also like to read my previous posts related to this topic:
Enjoy!
Thanks, Julia, you are nudging me to do the same! I accumulate stuff despite my desire to keep it simple. I have made a start at clearing out thanks to getting a new car – I went through the folders of my last two cars and have a pile of papers to shred. Liberating indeed!
Good for your Jeanine! Enjoy shredding your papers 🙂
Usually I read your blogpost and either keep it to return to later or let it go. This is the first time I comment and I do so because your latest blogposts really speak to me. As if in those you are giving voice to my experience. It helps trusting the process I am in. Today it was especially this line: ‘Courageously let go of everything that feels like it belongs to yesterday.’ Thank you Julia.
Hello Catherine, I’m so glad that you’ve taken the step of posting your first comment which hopefully won’t be your last!
I very much appreciate all that you’ve said and I’m inspired to hear that my latest posts have spoken to you in the way you describe. It’s incredibly helpful to have feedback on specifics that have struck a chord with you so thanks for sharing the line that resonated with you especially at this time.
Trusting the process is key, yet it can feel tough sometimes so I encourage you to remain alert as everything unfolds, check in regularly with your inner truth so that you’re in the greatest degree of alignment with what feels right in your heart of hearts, and keep taking one step at a time. Hopefully you’ll continue to benefit from and enjoy these weekly posts and I’ll look forward to hearing from you again soon!
It’s like taking a shower. You’ll get dirty again, of course, but the water refreshes, cleans, and gives energy for the next day. I like your mention of continuous, little steps. At the end of each work day, I try to spend a couple of minutes taking stock – throwing away the junk, clearing the desk, making a list of what’s most important for the next day. Sometimes I’m too tired and don’t do it, but I love coming to my desk the next morning and finding a clean, clear, space in which my creativity and imagination can roam freely.
So true Peter! In my experience the refreshing energy is worth every second of the time and attention required to develop positive habits like the one you describe for taking stock at the end of your day.
I also prefer to clear my desk when I finish work and gather my thoughts about priorities for the next day.
Even if it doesn’t happen every single day, it’s a great practice to adopt so thanks for sharing it as an excellent reminder that there are many different ways to apply the same principle and sometimes the smallest of actions can deliver the greatest rewards.
All so true, Julia. A complete clean out and de-cluttering liberates. So much of what we hold onto is past ego baggage that blocks us from a fresh and vital perspective. Clutter is draining, Clean desk is freeing. Thank you for this vital reminder
Yes, thank you for specifying that holding on to old ego baggage is a major block to fresh perspectives Peter.
It’s absolutely the case that clutter is draining and weighs us down more than most people realize. In fact this is one of the reasons why it’s so liberating to clear out and move on!