Soul-filled Guest Post by
Sue Rasmussen
Many people think that clutter is obvious, like piles of junk in the attic or stacks of untidy boxes in the garage or hundreds of newspapers covering the floor of the living room.
And yes, I certainly consider that clutter.
But what I’ve often seen is that the most impactful clutter is invisible. It may be organized beautifully. It may be expensive and have sentimental value. It may once have held a place of great honor in your home or your business or in your heart. Yet it is still clutter, even though it doesn’t have a big yellow sign on it that says ‘I am clutter.’
It may be friendships that no longer support you, even though they are nice, loving, caring people.
In many cases, the clutter is non-tangible, like being on a committee that you used to love, but now completely drains your energy. Or a hobby that doesn’t give you that zest for life that it once did.
When something is no longer serving you and the person you are today (and the person you want to be tomorrow), it is actually holding you back from becoming that person.
Clutter is also directly tied to our beliefs about life, change and all that change brings, our own feeling of safety, and what we think is possible for our own experiences.
Our outer environment is a reflection of what’s going on inside us.
When we create environments that are cluttered, messy, stressful, and overwhelming, (or even neat and tidy but no longer supportive of who we are and who we want to be) we have a corresponding level of clutter, overwhelm and stress inside as well – all of which keep us from living and being our best.
When we hold on to anything that is no longer serving us, in any way, we are also holding on to the belief that we cannot trust that life will provide exactly what we most need.
We become constricted.
We start losing energy.
We start missing opportunities.
Holding on is about the fear of what might happen when we let go.
Surrounding yourself with lots of stuff, activities, people, and so on can also be a nice, convenient way to keep yourself distracted from noticing the bigger issues you may have been ignoring, or going after what you really want (because that might really be scary)!
Clutter can be a way of hiding, whether it’s hiding the dream that is drowning, or the business that is stagnating, or the relationship that is stuck.
All forms of clutter – physical clutter, time clutter, relationship clutter, and mental, emotional, and spiritual clutter – affect not only our day-to-day lives, but also directly and dramatically affect the success of our businesses, our health and well-being, our relationships, and our ability to be the kind of people we truly want to be in the world.
The great news is that when you start handling either the external or the internal clutter, you impact both.
For that reason, I’ve found that it’s often so much easier to start with the external stuff, since it’s tangible and visible, and start experiencing powerful results very quickly.
Every time we are willing to let go, to clear clutter, and to raise the standard of our environment, the rest of our life steps up to the plate as well and we create space for amazing opportunity, creativity, and serendipity.
When we hold on to something based on a lack of trust or fear, we start experiencing lack and constriction in all areas of life. When we trust and are willing to let go of what no longer serves, life brings us exactly what we need.
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Sue Rasmussen is a Master Certified Coach, writer, and speaker. She is internationally recognized for her straight-forward, practical, down-to-earth approach and enthusiastic style of showing small business owners and entrepreneurs how to clear out the clutter in every area of their life, and open up to abundance, creativity, high levels of energy, and success. Visit her website at www.unclutter-organize-transform.com to subscribe for articles, tips, and upcoming events.
I am an innovative coach and love inspiring you to find soul-satisfying success for your creative endeavors. I am also a writer, author, and "laptop lifestyle" enthusiast.