Making Space - Letting Go of Clutter

To make room for new things to come into you life, you have to create space for such things. If your environment or life is packed with things you no longer need or that no longer serve you, then you are holding yourself back. There's no room for new opportunities, new relationships or new ideas to enter. Yesterday I had a conversation with a client about this very topic. I congratulated the client on cleaning out items associated with her previous career from her home office to make room for all the new ventures she is exploring. I was reminded of what I went through when I decided to switch careers. When I first became a coach, I was hesitant to toss or give away all the business materials I had accumulated as a financial professional. I kept thinking, "What if I need these items again?" I finally realized that my indecisiveness, (about giving up the security that these materials provided - thinking I could always go back to my former career), was holding me back. After this realization I immediately tackled my office and cleared out 9 trash bags of old business files. Guess what happened? The next day I had a new client!

Now I make a habit of clearing out or donating items on a regular basis. Several times a month, one of the local charities calls to ask if I have any items to donate. I never say no because inevitably there's something in my home that would be more useful to someone else. It doesn't take but a few minutes to put together a bag full and it gives me a feeling of making a difference. In addition to the good feeling I get, I know that I have created space for something more fulfilling.

I recently read a story about a woman that used to hold periodic garage sales to "de-clutter" her home. After years of doing so, she decided one day to have a very different garage sale. She took everything she wanted to get rid of, put the items in her garage and made a huge sign that said FREE. During the day she would check her garage and was amazed at the rapid disappearance of items. She delighted in imagining that some new homeowner had taken the lawn equipment she no longer needed, or that children were smiling over the "new" toys that her children had outgrown. By the end of the day all she had left was one old shoe and a garbage can with a hole in the bottom! And best of all, she didn't have to sit in the heat all day manning the sale.

Are you ready to open your life to new opportunities? Identify the items in your environment that no longer serve you. What do you have that you could joyfully give to others to make room in your life? Schedule an hour on your calendar to sort through and get rid of these items. Make it fun by asking others to help or reward yourself afterwards. Plan a garage sale or call a charity to pick up the items that can be donated. Sit back and watch the new opportunities that appear to fill up the void you created!

Copyright July 2004 by Vicki Miller

As a Life Transition Coach I work with clients to identify what's most important to them and prioritize around these values. I help my clients identify and remove obstacles in the way and bring clarity and focus to their dreams. What is your dream? Are you undergoing a major transition and not clear where to turn? Call (972-306-4489) or email me, (coach.v.miller@verizon.net), to set up a complimentary, no obligation 30 minute coaching session. Download my FREE e-Book, 12 Fun Ways to Change Your Life, or sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter at http://www.thrivingthroughchange.com