Earlier this year we reviewed the mindfulness principle of letting go. We visited with it several times and today I want to explore it again but this time in terms of material goods. Have you ever noticed that when you walk into a room that is disheveled you feel tense? Or, have you ever cleaned out a closet or drawer and felt a fabulous sense of accomplishment? Uncluttering can even make you feel lighter. If you google the words clutter and weight you will find over 33 million hits reflecting books, articles, blogs and websites devoted to the relationship between clutter and weight gain. I haven’t done the research, but I can tell you from my experience with clients, when they take control of their surroundings and let go of whatever is weighing them down in their environments, they start to lose weight. When we unclutter our homes, we simultaneously unclutter our body, mind and spirit. Spend some time over the next few weeks, uncluttering your environment. Let go of whatever no longer serves your best interest or highest good. Do this slowly. Pause and observe the items. Feel them in your hands. Create space in your home and your heart for whatever feels good to you and remove the rest. If you do this, you will very likely feel lighter in spirit and on the scale. Adapted from Mindful Bites – Joyful Life: 365 Days of Mindful Eating. Available in bookstores everywhere.
Clearing Space
