Do you feel calm right now? If you are at home, the answer to this question may well depend on whether or not your home is organized. Even if your home is currently in a state of chaos and far from the tranquil environment you crave, don’t panic. True peace of mind, a path through the chaos can be achieved.
I’m sure that in your home there are things in various states of use. There are things you have always loved, things you no longer need that used to make you happy, things you don’t really like but you keep out of a sense of obligation, and lastly, things you have forgotten you even own. Perhaps useless things are taking over your home, while things that are truly important to you are stored deep inside your drawer. Hold every one of those items in your hand, and ask yourself again if it truly sparks joy in your life. Keep only the things that spark joy, and let go of those that don’t.
You don’t need to fear the guilt of letting things go. Even an item of clothing that you never once wore has taught you what kind of style doesn’t suit you, so express your gratitude to it before putting it in the donation bag. Not every item of clothing is destined for you, and so like most every aspect of our lives, we learn from our fashion mistakes.
Letting go of things that don’t spark joy can be painful, but if you think about the role each of them has served in your life, you will attain a deep and rich sense self-awareness and gratitude for the items in your life.
When you go several times through the experience of sorting out what you want to keep and what you are ready to discard, you will find that within yourself you reveal a keenly personal sense of value, one which will guide you towards determining the kind of things with which you want to surround yourself. This ability to judge what “sparks joy” can be honed over time, so the more you make brave decisions based on your own intuition, the easier and more effective the process becomes. Bravery is essential for allowing you to get truly in touch with what sparks joy for you, you must overcome doubt and hesitation to allow yourself to feel what truly sparks joy in you.
And fortunately, this experience is useful in not only organizing, but also in every important decision you make in your life, such as your career and how you conduct yourself in your relationships with other people.
For example, what is most needed in your life right now? Is it to spend more time with your family, or to devote yourself entirely to the work tasks before you? Will you focus your time on one of these areas, or divide your time so that you can balance the two? Instead of worrying about expectations or other people’s standards, you will, after having gained this keen sense of what you most value, be able to make conscious decisions based on “what sparks joy for you.”
Living in an organized home will undoubtedly provide a peace of mind and comfort in your daily life. And once you finish organizing, you will find yourself equipped with the confidence and decision-making ability to take control of your life ahead. As a result, your heart will be cleared of clutter.
What exists after you confront the chaos in your life is true peace of mind.
Originally published at medium.com