Sober From Clutter-Part 4 By: Janet L. Hall" Listening to your heart is not simple. Finding out who you are is not simple. It takes a lot of hard work and courage to get to know who you are and what you want." --Sue Bender, quoted in The Feminine Face of God
Pain or sadness can stem from many factors and sources in your life, and manifest in just as many ways, one of which could be your clutter problem.
Do you take a dose of pain or sadness "medicine" by not letting go of unused stuff or going out and becoming financial stressed by making purchases you won't use?
What is your coping mechanism for your pain or sadness? Your stuff? What you hoard? Why you're a pack rat? Why you might overcompensate, overindulgence, shop 'til you drop, be a QVC Junkie, an E-Commerce shopper, or an Auction addict?
Your pain or sadness might stem from you or your family having to endure great losses. Losses in your life can surely make you hold tight to
stuff your familiar with, especially if loss was a loved one. To leave everything just as it was, or to hold on to departed loved ones stuff will leave no room for you to grow or to go forward with your life.
One simple way to keep your loved ones memories alive, while not keeping all their stuff, is to create an altar that houses precious memories and select items. You can create an altar on your dresser, a mantel, or a shelf.
What about loss from nature or manmade disasters: flood, fire, earthquake, hurricane, war, and refugee? These types of losses in your past probably help you appreciate things you do have and obtain. BUT it can also lead to overcompensation, holding on to, pack ratting, just in case, or a someday mentally. Be very careful when recovering from a disaster, focusing on keeping balance, and finding uses for all that you possess.
Pain or Sadness Exercise: >>What pain or sadness are you carrying around on your back? >>Is your pain or sadness stemming from something that occurred a month, year, five or ten years ago? Longer? >>When are you going to release this pain, this sadness? >>When was last time you felt fulfilled, really happy, without sadness or pain? >>Can you see it? >>What did it feel like? >>What is missing from your life that you don't feel fulfilled and you are using "stuff" as a substitute or an escape from your suffering? >>Is it possible that you mask your pain or sadness with STUFF, to protect yourself? >>Haven't you hurt or paid long enough? >>When are you going to stop hurting and get some help?
All piles, all crammed rooms, stuffed closets, overcrowded attic and basement, all your "stuff" might have been yesterdays solutions to your pain or sadness but now have become your problems today!
Eventually you will see that by buying or bringing more "stuff" into your life or your children's life will only temporarily solve your problems, or situations. A quick fix. And eventually, you will have too much "stuff," too many piles. This overspending and over buying can bring you several more problems: debt and clutter, less space, and even add to your pain or sadness. You haven't solved a thing. As a matter of fact, you've made matters worse for yourself, and possibly for others around you. One day you will have to deal with these new problems and situations. Finding new solutions. Hopefully healthy remedies.
When you begin clearing out your clutter you'll create a vacuum and nature abhors a vacuum. But don't worry because something or someone will soon rush in to take place of where your clutter use to reside. The form of replacement wouldn't necessarily be more STUFF. It may surprise you that someone or something (i.e. opportunities) might come into your heart, your Spirit, or your life might be filled with relief or happiness. Now you might have ability to pursue and accomplish what you'd really like to do or be, now that you've made room.
Are you open to idea of being happy? If you are able to connect with your pain or sadness, and get it out, you'll be able to break chains, unwanted habits of clutter.
Are you hurting yourself, your Spirit, and world by continually bringing things into your life that you don't need or use? Basil Great, bishop of Caesarea, stated around A.D. 365: "When someone steals a man's clothes we call him a thief. Should we not give same name to one who could clothe naked and does not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to hungry man; coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to man who needs it; shoes rotting in your closet belong to man who has not shoes." Look around your home or office. Take a mental inventory and see what you can donate to those in need or to non- profit agencies in need.
