But I get along fine. I actually feel content and calm.
Content without a lot of possessions to distract me. Just the basics. I have the book I am actually reading— not the 1000+ stacked on my desk, table, couch as I have at home. I appreciate the simplicity of my surroundings. I get out more. It helps me focus.
At home my life is filled with so much stuff. It is not really messy. Yet it is easy to mess up. And neatening takes precious time.
I'm not just cleaning my closet. I'm hoping to clean out my life. And I'm hoping to keep only that which delights me or enhances my well-being. That means ebay, Amazon, Craig's List, giving away, passing down and passing on: clothes, books, shoes, dishes, jewelry, furniture, stuff.
Organizational expert Peter Walsh says in his book Enough Already! that our homes are "overwhelmed with stuff and [our] lives littered with the empty promises that the stuff didn't fulfill.... In buying what we want, we hope to acquire the life we desire.... [But] chasing the life you want by accumulating more stuff is a dead-end street."
More things don't make you feel more alive. Our time here on earth is limited. Wouldn't it be great to revel in living every day without having to organize, clean and manage and maintain THINGS? At least, not as many. It makes sense to stand in front of each and every thing we own and are storing and ask "Do you add to my joy every day?".
I'll admit that I love to read and teach. I am getting a kick out of painting. I like to write books and articles and blogs. A few things bring me joy and make me aware of my motivation and creativity. It makes me feel alive and kicking. All the other stuff is just ornamental.
Feeling more alive is part of fulfilling your true self. It's the reason we're all here.
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