I’ve written quite a bit over the past several weeks about cleaning out and letting go of the past. We would probably all prefer not to go through these steps. What fun is cleaning out the garage on a Saturday? Or committing Friday afternoon to clearing your desk and organizing your files? More challenging is dealing with a relationship or old thought pattern that no longer serves you. It is harder to see this type of clutter. It takes introspection and a commitment to moving forward to unbind those ties.
Yes, you say, I want to change and move forward, so do I really have to spend time cleaning up and clearing out? Yes, you do. A solid foundation that supports change can only come when we have dealt with the clutter and recognized constraints, real, imagined or erroneously in place. Now you are free to move about the cabin!
Before you can fly, the pre-flight checklist must be completed. Clear the decks, clear your head and now you are cleared for take-off. You will carry things from your past with you: experiences, stories, knowledge and relationships. As you forge new pathways, you will add to this. Some things will serve you well; other things, not so much. Yet, since you have been through this process before, it will become easier and easier for you to know whom and what serve a role in your life. This is how your life gets simpler.
Yes, life can be simpler, but it is not easy to get there. It requires us to use that big word “no”! “No” to things that do not take us where we want to go. “No” to distractions. “No” to overcommitting. “No” to not taking care of ourselves.
We must say “yes” to space, to time, to freedom, to taking care of ourselves, to following our path and watching it unfold before us. You will have resistance. Our society demands busyness, connectedness, responsiveness and we’ve grown addicted to it. Say “yes” to this – put 20 minutes as an appointment on your calendar for “white space”. White space means there is nothing filling in the blank for what you are going to do. Leave your office, go for a walk, read, get out of the usual and into a space less crowded. See what you learn!