I am currently in the process of a major life change. My boyfriend, David, is moving in. I live in a 1400-square-foot house that was built in 1920 with my son, his girlfriend, my daughter, and two dogs. We have three, charming, small, clothes closets and a dainty closet inside the one bathroom we all share.
There are many aspects to this huge life change, stories I may share with you. For today, we are looking at closets.
David’s moving in has necessarily caused me to evaluate the things I keep and pare down my possessions to make space for his. I have long been in the practice of letting go of possessions — way before Marie Kondo wrote The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
Clearing my clutter is one of my favorite things to do. I read the Book Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui in 1998, and my life has never been the same. I remember reading that book on the way home from a vacation in Tahoe. I came home and immediately started throwing things out. I filled boxes and boxes with things that I then donated and gave away. With David moving in, it was time to take another stab at clearing out.
I follow Karen’s advice: When you look at an object, ask yourself “Is it useful?” “Does it bring me energy?” “Does it light me up?” — If it doesn’t fit one of these categories, then out it goes!
I used to use that same method to look at my thinking.
I would try to put all of my thinking on the table and apply those questions and try to sort through everything.
Spoiler alert: It never worked.
I used to be a hoarder of thoughts and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get rid of them.
Hoarding thoughts is like packing up and storing all of my clothes that don’t fit, hoping I will lose 20 pounds one day. That box is always in the top of the closet, looking at me. I organize them and hold onto them, but feel insecure because the old, too-small clothes are still there. Sorted. Taking up space. And I have the expectation that they will be useful in the future.
And then I found the work of Sydney Banks. Sydney Banks is the ultimate guide to living in a spacious, clear, feeling state. Sydney Banks showed me that the key to life, which most people miss, is understanding the true nature of Thought.
Thought isn’t something I can get rid of. I will always think, and I will always feel my thinking.
Thought is the formless energy coming into form.
Thought gives the capacity to create our reality.
It is a gift.
With this understanding, unlike with the old clothes, I don’t have to sort through my thinking.
I don’t have to store or get rid of old thoughts. I just get to notice the thoughts and let them pass. They make their way to the donation bins on their own.
Nor do I have to analyze my thinking. Analyzing it is like going out and getting more of the stuff I am trying to get rid of. This understanding has allowed me to live in a clean, spacious home inside of myself. I get to live in my own true nature.
If you would like to see more about your true nature and the power of this spaciousness that we can all access inside of ourselves, please reach out to me.
Also please check out my new podcast! I have been having fun interviewing people I love and seeing their genius.