Why We Don't Get Rid of the Clutter in Our Lives

Rationalization #1

"I don't know why I can't let this go, but maybe in the future, things will change, and I may regret letting go of it..."

Yes, on a purely theoretical level, you are right. But the truth is, most of the things we can't let go of could be easily and quickly replaced if ever we found that we needed them. Many people (including my dad) have a tendency to keep things, people, and situations around out of insecurity, based on "survival"-type fears for the future. Just like an animal gathering food for the winter. This creates clutter in our lives and overwhelms us. This is precisely what happens when our lives become messier and messier and more and more complicated, to the point where we can't understand even the simplest situation. Because searching for clarity in our minds is like searching for the proverbial "needle in the haystack." We feel confused about everything, or burned out, just like we sometimes feel after too much multi-tasking.

Rationalization #2

"First I'll make some changes, renew my life, and then after I'll look for solutions to the issues I haven't managed to solve yet. I will put everything in its place."

If your goal is to renew yourself and make changes in your life, I advise you to make every effort you can to manifest this goal. And after you have done this successfully, I give you permission NOT TO FIX THE OLD but go out into life and create new things, find new people, build new relationships, and engage in new situations. Change what was old, buy some brand new clothes, even. You should be proud of yourself, and it's the perfect time to start a NEW life and reward yourself with the things, people, and relationships you would like to have from the start.

Rationalization # 3

"I owe everything I am to this or that. I cannot just let these things go."

I'm all for keeping memories, situations, relationships, and objects that remind us of who we were until now and of people we love or have loved in the past. But the truth is, memories are actually in the past. What has happened to you until now is finished, and who you are now is the result of things that have ALREADY happened.

I am not saying that you have to get rid of everything and everybody you have had in your life until now. I know that often, moving on from our identification with the past can be a tough decision to make. But the best thing for you would be to make an effort to keep only the situations, people, and things you genuinely cherish and which are unique for you. You need to learn to let go of the rest, to create space for the new, for the better future you so sincerely wish for!

This will help you to feel more confident and more at ease with yourself. Keeping the people and things we are proud of in our life empowers us. Holding on to all the rest may leave us feeling guilty, because we do this not out of choice but out of fear of letting go to our attachments. This is why we keep them in our hearts or our lives in the first place. And letting these things go -- our "life's clutter" -- will help you relax completely and renew your life in a way you cannot even imagine.

Rationalization # 4

"But I invested so much time, energy, attention, and money in it..."

Of course. You did. But be honest with yourself. What has more value : this "it" that no longer serves any purpose in your life? or truly enjoying yourself, your life, and your existence? Which one will you choose : "it"...or your happiness? "It"... or your inner space? "It"... or the truth?

Rationalization # 5

"Oh, I'm trying, but I am struggling because I don't understand what is wrong here. But it's ok because I am sure I will figure it out at some point and understand what I have to do. And then..."

If this is true for you -- if you don't want to let go because you don't understand fully what is going on, and don't know what to do about it -- maybe this is a sign that this object, person or situation is not actually worth keeping in the first place. You see, if a life situation requires this much inner struggle and mental work to understand it and find a solution, this may very well be a clear indicator that it does not have as much value for us as we think. If we are struggling to figure out what to do with something...it's a safe bet that we won't miss it too much. We can find true value in enjoying our life, work, relationships, and friendships -- not in constantly trying to solve problems about them.

I hope you will find what you need in all these ideas. You can take it all as food for thought and contemplation. I would like to sincerely wish you a simpler life, with less complications and more solutions.