Warning: this post is not for people who do not want to do something different than what they have been doing.
If you have been wanting to make a change in some area of your life or business and just haven’t seemed able to loosen things up, I have something for you.
It’s a bit of a counterintuitive action, especially if you feel overly busy already. I believe, however, if you give it a try, you’ll get hooked!
Getting Unstuck Starts With Making A Change
Making a change, at its most simple, is about making a new choice. Making a new choice is like planting a new seed that will bear the fruit of your choice.
But sometimes, despite our best wishes, we just can’t make that choice. We want to. Or we want to want to. But we just don’t…yet. And the Universe is never fooled. It’s an energy thing.
So I have a trick for you if you find yourself in this position. This trick is also a good one if you are undertaking a much larger, or harder project. It can really jumpstart the process by shifting the energy from one of “can’t” to one of “perhaps” or possibility.
There’s a suggestion in Feng Shui that states that if you move 27 things you can change your life. The theory here is that when you move things around, that have a meaning for you, you shift the energy and thus create shifts in your life.
Well, what about the energy of all those things that no longer have a meaning, that are just taking up space? What’s going on there?
Are there things in your home, office, car, closets that are holding an energy in place? What would happen if you got them moving out of your environment? What if some small part of your energy didn’t have to be holding all those things in place anymore? Would you have more energy for yourself, for the projects you want to move forward?
I know you would!
A Way To Start
I propose that you set a time limit (1-2 hours) to clear out one small area (like your desk or car) or type of item (like shoes or books). I think you’ll find that you do a fair amount of straightening up as well.
“We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of… Take each item in your hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it.”
Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Every time you hold a physical item in your hands and choose whether to keep, donate, or discard an item you are exercising your power of choice. Anything you exercise grows stronger.
Making A Change By Making One Choice At A Time
Now instead of wishing you could make a choice, you will be engaging your power of choice over and over. Your confidence in your ability to choose will increase. This then initiates both subtle and profound effects on your business and personal life.
Again, I’m not advocating you abandon what needs to be done in your business to reach your goals. What I’m inviting you to play with is a little trick to engage your power of choice in a sideways direction that delivers a two-fold benefit.
You may want to set a timer to help you keep going or to stop the decluttering interval. You may feel tempted to keep going because it feels so good to get an area cleared up. The point here isn’t to declutter your whole space but to get the energy moving and notice what happens.
I think you’ll find that you suddenly have move energy. I think you’ll start having new and more creative thoughts about all areas of your life. And I believe this will fuel a desire to release more of what you no longer need, to create space for what you want.
How It’s Worked For Me
I have begun experimenting with taking 1-2 hours every Sunday as part of my renewal day to declutter. Yesterday it was clothes and shoes. It didn’t take me as long as I thought (I set music to play for 2 hours) so I also went through all the books in my bedroom.
The week before I went through six boxes of office files I’d moved 3 times since the last time I’d looked at them. 5+ boxes went into the recycle bin.
I’m working a deadline for a book I’m releasing. I’m finding that this ritual, taking the time to release “stuff” is having a profound effect on my creative flow. I’m getting more done. For the 2 hours I spend decluttering, I’m gaining time and energy in smooth sailing and ease in my tasks.
You may find your own little tweaks to help the process. I’ve found that it is helpful if I plan the 20 minutes it takes to load the car and drive to Goodwill as part of my two-hour process. That way I am completely done and don’t have a box or bag sitting, tempting me to just put away in the closet for later.
I also like to put on music that suits my mood. And I do much better if I complete my 2 hours early in the day (but don’t force or rush myself) so I have plenty of time for R&R with the family later.
Tell Me How It Works For You
So what works for you? I’d love to know. I think we can all learn from one another. Give this a try. Declutter one small, specific space. Or release all items in a certain category that no longer serve you in some way. See how you feel. See if you feel more energized, more peaceful or more creative. And let us know about it in the comments below.