Free Yourself: How to Declutter Your Life and Find Balance
Reframe how you view your stuff and keep it simple with a lil' habit.
While the earth blooms around us, it's the perfect time to embrace a fresh start. But sometimes the clutter we’ve accumulated can leave us immobilized. We’re weighed down by the very things we thought would bring us joy. It's easy to get caught up in the "more is better" mentality, chasing after shiny objects and hoping they'll fill the void – it seems we’ve been wired to acquire.
If you want to free yourself to move forward, you need to shake up your status quo.
This is where a gratitude exercise can help kick things off – a loving way to shift your focus from material clutter to the immaterial magic in your life.
By jotting down 10 things you're grateful for that money can't buy, like a heartfelt hug or a laugh that makes you ache, you can start to appreciate the lightness of the abundance that already surrounds you.
As you create your list, notice how your perspective begins to shift, and you start to recognize that the things you cherish most are often the ones you can't hold in your hands. Allow the grip that your clutter has on you to loosen.
Why do we cling so tightly to our possessions in the first place? Enter “loss aversion” – the idea that we feel the pain of losing something more intensely than the pleasure of gaining something of equal value. This psychological quirk can make decluttering feel like a daunting task, especially if we fear letting go of items that we're emotionally attached to, even when they no longer serve us.
However, by recognizing the role that loss aversion plays in our reluctance to let go, we can start to challenge our assumptions and reframe our thinking. Instead of focusing on what we're giving up, we can shift our attention to what we're making space for – new experiences, personal growth, and a more joy-filled intentional life.
As you begin to declutter, you can approach the process with curiosity and self-compassion. Each item you release is an opportunity to express gratitude for the role it's played in your life, while also acknowledging that its purpose may have run its course. By letting go with grace, you create space not just in your physical environment, but in your internal world as well.
Supercharge your decluttering journey with the power of Lil' Habit. By breaking down the process into small, manageable daily actions, you can make letting go a playful and rewarding experience. Start by choosing one decluttering task, like releasing an item a day (following the Four Container Method) or clearing off one small surface. Savor the dopamine hit that comes from accomplishing something, no matter how small.
As you engage with your lil' habit, get curious about any Resistance that pops up. Maybe it's a voice telling you, "But what if I need this later?" or "I can't let go of this; it was a gift!" Acknowledge your Resistance with love and compassion, and then gently remind it of your intention to create space for what truly matters.
Remember, the goal isn't perfection – it's progress. Sloppy Start your habit right now, even though you don’t have everything you need to be successful. Dive in with a spirit of experimentation. Each day, you'll be building the muscle of letting go.
And when you find yourself tempted to fill your decluttered space with more stuff, revisit your gratitude list. Cherish what truly matters – the intangible awesomeness that makes life worth living.
This year I’ve teamed up with my favorite coach, Jenai Fitzpatrick from Shift to Clarity, to create the Unstuck in 2024 Digital Planner, which is a keystone in the Unstuck in 2024 Monthly Subscription. Combining my Lil’ Habit methodology with Jenai’s executive functions expertise, each month’s planner can help you practice a new life skill and mindset shift, getting to know yourself better in the process.
In our April issue of UNSTUCK in 2024, we're offering you important tools to help you let stuff go, including how to approach decluttering according to your Zodiac sign. Want me to send you this issue for free? If you're a Lil’ Habit subscriber, comment below with something from your gratitude list, and I’ll email you our April issue.
If you feel a bit more free now than you did before you read this article, help make it stick by discussing it with a friend.
Disclaimer: My Substack posts are my personal reflections and should not be taken as clinical guidance or treatment. Consult qualified experts regarding your specific health needs.