Look at both scenarios. There really is some *good* in good-bye. All we have to do is take control of situation and look forward to handling it beautifully. If we don't, we are letting situation take control of us.

Why not prepare for these situations? Why not, say, plan on moping and missing leaving loved one for a designated period of time -- like one hour, OK, maybe a day -- THEN get on with your lives so you will have plenty to share with them when they come back.

Why not, every time you start to miss him or her, retarget your thoughts to all good things that person is accomplishing with his or her life.

Realize now that you'd probably better start accomplishing things, too, or you won't have anything new to share with your loved one that is away growing and learning. Meet challenge head on, show your son or daughter, by example, how to act when one has to *let go* of someone they love. They are always learning from us.

~~~~~~~~~ Copyright 2003, Jan Tincher, All Rights Reserved Worldwide ~~~~~~~~~

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What this all boils down to is that managing your clutter helps you feel like less of a victim and puts you back in control of your moods and your life. You have greater confidence in your abilities and decisions, so you feel more hopeful and optimistic about future. You respect yourself more, and will probably find that other people treat you better as well. You feel less stressed, and have more courage to try and do new things. You stop turning to material objects to make you happy, because you are content with less.

Clearing out your clutter creates space for possibility. You may find yourself deciding to go back to school, change your career, start your own business, go out on a date, take up painting or singing or ballroom dancing, try out for a part in a play, or... what's your dream? (No wonder clutter clearing can be a little scary! Suddenly there are no more excuses for why you can't pursue that dream.)

Your friends will say you look terrific. They'll wonder where that sparkle in your eye came from, and how you manage to look both energized and serene at same time. It's because you have released from your life everything that is no longer useful to you. You have let go of past and are no longer hoarding for future. You have made space for living freely in present, where peace resides.

© 2003 Stephanie Roberts

[exerpted from "Clutter-Free Forever!", Lotus Pond Press, 2003]