Ready to Marie Kondo your mind?
OHH the catharsis of spring cleaning! The attic is piled high with boxes, your kids still own shoes that are 2 sizes too small, your partner is one nomination away from getting the Guinness World Record for old newspapers, and you can barely fit a finger between the clothing hanging in your closet.
Grab those bin bags, and **empty, empty, empty!** (And then donate them to charity – let's reduce waste in landfills!) Clearing clutter has never felt better—a weight off our shoulders and the environment.
Why? Because it’s letting go of the old and making room for the new – or, for nothing at all. It’s shedding what no longer serves us and opening up space for possibility.
So why can’t we do that with our thoughts?
Well, actually we can! So, get out your proverbial bin bags (a piece of paper and a pen will do) and let’s start chucking.
Here are a few tactics:
1 - Make a list of all the things that brought you down this past year:
Was it a friend? Maybe it’s time to confront them
Was it a romantic partner? Maybe it’s time to set them free
Was it self-doubt? Maybe it’s time to invest in your confidence
Was it rumination? Maybe it’s time to start a worry journal
2 - Remind yourself of what your values are:
In our fast-paced world it can be easy to push ahead for things that don’t actually matter to us. Take some time to remember your values and ask yourself:
Does your life integrate them enough?
Does your career?
Do your relationships?
If honest communication ranks high on your value list, then don’t shy away from those difficult conversations, make it your goal to lean into them. In fact, you can even start by saying “honest communication is really important to me, and I feel I need to share this with you to move forward…”
If creativity is one of your values, make sure that you’re carving out at least some time to do something creative every week.
If being alone is important to you, start working on how to say ‘no’ more often and honour the time that you give to yourself.
You see where I’m going with this….
3 - Learn to actively listen:
Think about the last time you were having a meaty conversation – it could have been in the boardroom, the bedroom or anywhere between. When the person you were with was speaking, were you REALLY listening, or just thinking about your next point?
Don’t be ashamed if it was the latter, we all do it, but here’s the thing – when we think less and listen more, our minds get clearer. We are less reliant on memorizing our every point and instead trust that they will come to us when we are fully engaged. This skill allows us to better connect with people and engage in life more completely. It also frees us from a cluttered mind.
For example, you don’t need to write a list of your strengths; you need to trust that you have them and that they will present themselves when needed. With this trust, you can actively listen and achieve better mental clarity.
So, are you ready to Marie Kondo your mind? I know I am! We will feel SO much lighter once we start – let’s go!
Marie Kondo, creator of the KonMari Method™, developed and created a unique method for de-cluttering your home, and your life. Hundreds of thousands of people have applied Marie’s distinct approach, to de-clutter their lives. “If something bring you joy, you keep it!”