As fall approaches, we often start to feel nostalgic. Like the trees who shed their leaves, maybe this season is the perfect time to shed some of the old, the worn, the tired, and start to shape the days to come. This can mean cleaning out the closet, clearing off the to-do list, or getting clarity through forgiving old grievances.
In the popular book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, author Marie Kondo offers a new perspective on shedding the heaviness of household clutter. She suggests that if you properly organize your home once, you will never have to do it again. It doesn’t happen by magic, of course. Those seeking a lighter load will be tasked with determining which items, (that’s right, you must go through the whole lot of it) spark joy. If they don’t, they go.
In this Mind Body Green article, they list some really genius ideas for shedding…or maybe shredding your stressful to-do list. Some of us live by our lists, and the thought of being rid of them is panic inducing on its own. The simple act of switching things that we think we need to do with things that make our heart sing will not only keep those things in the front space of our minds, it can actually shape your day into one that is actually simple and satisfying.
Forgiveness, it can be tough. Whether your ‘hurt’ happened yesterday, or a million years ago, it’s never too late to let go. Search your faith, ask your therapist, or even Google it. There are many ways in which to achieve forgiveness. Sometimes it’s a long, drawn out process, sometimes it’s as easy as deciding once and for all to just let it go. However it happens, forgiveness will clear the mind-space the hurt once occupied and allow you to fill it with a hopeful, happy future.
So, take advantage of the season’s sentiment and shed the old: old clothes, old toys, old feelings, or old to-do items. Whether it’s cleaning out your closet or forgiving a past wrong, shedding the old will leave room in your life to shape the new.