Clutter and Productivity - Some Objects Just Refuse to Leave!

Did you read my article last week about getting and staying organized using a powerful, proven process? I hope so. And I hope you've started to put a new habit in place to tame the clutter that is tormenting you! You can read that article here if you missed it!

Are you starting to see clarity in your surroundings yet? Even just one surface that was previously hidden from view beginning to come into its own and shine forth is great progress!

Today's post is going to help you evict those stubborn objects that, no matter how hard you try, just won't let you remove them from your physical space!

When you come up against a challenge such as this, there is something more beneath the surface. Until you get to the root of the reason that those objects won't budge, you won't be able to reclaim the part of your environment they're camped out in.

The real reason objects refuse to be thrown away

Did you ever notice that what we do reveals what we're thinking? That sounds so obvious, right! How we think determines what we do. Ponder that for a moment as you think about the objects in your environment that you just can't seem to say goodbye to.

Something is going on beneath the surface of your actions - at the level of your thoughts. Here is the explanation for any difficulty you are having when you try to say goodbye to these things.

Objects can actually come to represent an aspect of our personality! Because of this, the meaning of these objects will be quite strong and will transcend their usefulness in our lives.

Let's take two common examples

Books often represent intellectual power - the power to take charge and use our minds to solve our problems.

Clothes, as an extension of how we present ourselves in the world, often represent our physical attractiveness and innate worthiness.

For me, clothes have a special power. I have a hard time giving away my clothes, even if they are out of style, don't fit, or I don't like them anymore.

To me, clothes represent much more than a way to be warm and stay within the nudity laws (just kidding)!

They are all wrapped up in my sense of my appearance. And for me, dressing goes far beyond just portraying an acceptable image. For me, clothes are a very big part of my personality.

I'm glad I know that, because knowing that helps me make decisions that would be impossible if my unconscious mind (where all the illogical connections between clothes and worthiness are stored) was driving the bus! I like my frontal lobes (rational mind) to do the conscious decision making!

Uncovering the pattern in your thinking will reduce the power objects have over you

Pay attention to the particular types of things you find it hard to let go of. There is a pattern that can tell you what aspect of yourself these objects symbolize. Not until you identify the pattern can you do anything about changing your relationship with these things you find it hard to let go of.

As you think about these objects, pay attention to every word that goes through your mind. There are patterns in your thinking that can give you insights which can fight the hidden power these objects have over you.

Ask yourself, "What do these things say to me about me? Why do I hold on to these items?

When we consciously choose to hold on to objects, it's because they say something to us about ourselves that we want to hang on to.

But as we move through life, we change, and our ideas about ourselves change along with us. Our outer reality must adjust to match the evolution of our minds. The things we have around us must change to reflect our new inner reality!

Our outdated things are crushing our current dreams and values!

It can feel scary to let go of a part of ourselves we used to be and maybe aren't even aware that we've outgrown. When we look at an item that generates strong feelings, we can stop dead in our tracks and let our objects continue to camp out in our lives, past the point of their usefulness to our lives now.

How can you get started in diminishing the symbolic power of your objects so you can let go of them when they no longer represent the "you" who runs your life today?

Begin by looking at your environment with new, enlightened eyes!

Ask yourself these questions:

• What category of things resist any attempt to be discarded?
• What words go through my head as I look at these objects?
• Exactly how and why are these words keeping me stuck?
• What long-gone reality are these words "defending"?
• What clues do the words tell me about what these objects symbolize to me about myself?

Taking over is a conscious process

Letting go of objects that have taken on a power of their own because they represent an aspect of your personality will not be an easy and simple process. You'll need to go slowly and you'll need to have strong values guiding you as you move forward.

You'll need to put your current values front and center in your life in order to get any traction. You'll need to remind yourself of your values and your goals for removing the clutter from your life.

You'll need to combat the unconscious messages coming to you that tell you that you need to keep these items. These messages will keep you stuck if you listen to them.

If you have passionate dreams and brilliant ideas, but you're frustrated by procrastination, lack of focus and difficulty following through, it's time to get in the driver's seat once and for all! I help women take charge of their "out of control" lives … women who feel scattered, overwhelmed, and out of their depths trying to keep their heads above water in their careers and personal lives.

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