Well I'm not sure how this happened, and yet, this is the last Spring SwaffWords© of the season—the time of year that inspires hope and changes as we're coming out of the darkness of winter.
One of the go to practices is "spring cleaning"—diving deeply into those corners, both literally and figuratively: tossing, streamlining, scrubbing, organizing and passing along—you know the drill.
And what happens when we're reluctant to release the "stuff" that we no longer need? that no longer serves us? that is forgotten, collecting dust and ultimately in our way? You know, that stuff.
So let me offer up two reframes that might make it easier for you in this process:
First, take heed the next time you're at a flea market. Look at all the gear on the tables: knick knacks, clothes, jewelry, books, furniture, toys, housewares, etc. At one
point, they all mattered to someone—someone who might very well have hesitated about giving them away. And what are they now? Just a lot of gear piling up on tables, being offered at a fraction of the prices they once commanded. Not so precious now, are they?
And if this doesn't
put things into perspective for you, maybe this will. When we hold onto something that we no longer need, all we're really doing is preventing someone else (who could truly be served by it) from having it. In a way, we're keeping something that no longer belongs to us.
What is
your relationship with your "Stuff" (2:51)?
