Decluttering your life - Part 5 - Sentimental Attachments

Getting my body back - Day 111

In the process of decluttering your life, you may not have a difficult time getting rid of clothing that no longer fits, or you may not have a problem ditching your bulky exercise equipment, but when it comes to sentimental attachments that just pulls at your heart strings, how do you cut the ties and determine what you should keep and what to get rid of?

From time to time I've struggled with the other areas of decluttering and just made a decision to get rid of some of the stuff, but when it comes to sentimental attachments, I'd admit I have a more difficult time just tossing some of these things. I think this one boils down to personal value.

Sentimental attachments come in the form of irreplaceable memorabilias. For example, after many years, I still have a handwritten note from my dad when we were working on a project together. I loved my dad's handwriting and I guess this was and still is a really special memory for me.

No one could really decide for you what sentimental attachments you should keep and which ones are more important. This is an internal job. But here are some questions to ask yourself in making your final decision to keep or toss:

1) Purpose

What is the purpose of me keeping this? How is this serving me at this point in my life?

2) Value

What is the value in keeping this memory alive? Is it bringing back good memories of love or unpleasant memories of past hurt and disappointments? Know the value of the sentimental attachment. If it is greater than the need, then keep it.

3) Thoughts

What thoughts do I get from this memorabilia? Are the thoughts I imagine ones I wish to relive in the future or is this a place I never want to return to again?

4) Tied to the past

Is this thing an outward expression that I'm tied to the past and have not let go or afraid to let go? Is this sending a message to the universe that this is who I choose to continue to be? Sometimes we are sending subconscious messages to the universe of what we desire and don't understand why we're getting the results we're getting or not getting the results we desire.

The New Testament tells of a young man who wanted to follow Jesus but felt that he needed to go bury a family member first. Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury the dead."

Let the things of the past stay in the past and move on. The issue is dead let is remain there and the things that go with it. There is no life in it and it will not add to giving you life.

5) Open yourself to new experiences

When you open yourself to new experiences letting go of the past becomes easier. You can only embrace the future when you release your tight grip on the past.

Declutter your life from all non-essential sentimental attachments and move forward to greater experiences.

Fuelling words: I keep only sentimental attachments that add value and bring positive memories to my current reality.

Workout - walking

Decluttering your life - Part 2 - Exercise & Food

Getting my body back - Day 108

In the process of decluttering your life, there are three levels which you could follow for this undertaking.

1) Start small or start slowly

Instead of undertaking a very ambitious approach which could lead you to feelings of overwhelm or discouragement, start with something that you know you will stick with and when you've completed it you'll feel a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.

When I first began exercising I started with what I was comfortable doing, knowing that I could stick with it. I did stretches only just to get my body loosened until I felt the need to go to the next level.

The same it is with food. Start with small changes in your diet - changes that you know you could stick with. For example, eating less of your favourite ice cream or having it on the weekend only. That way you don't feel the effects of deprivation and lessen the temptation to go right back to your old eating habits.

2) Take it up a notch - mid range

If you feel that starting small or going slowly is not for you, then feel free to do a bit more. The key is to do what you can without going into overwhelm and discouragement.

After I got used to the stretches I was ready to take it up a notch - adding some aerobics and weight training in addition to incorporating exercises into my daily activities.

The same adjustment can be made with eating habits, as well, making more of a conscious decision and effort to make healthier food choices, adding more salads and fruit into the daily diet.

3) Going all out

When you've had enough and you just can't take it anymore, you're then at the point where you know you are willing to go all out. What we've done with our home is going all out to make a complete overhaul and taking drastic measures to achieve our goal.

It is the same approach I took with my exercise routine. Even though I had some results, I felt that my results could have been better. So, I decided that it's time to take drastic measures. For some this may have been small steps, but this is the level I'm at and for me that means brisk walking, endurance training, weight lifting, gardening and incorporating exercise in my daily routine. My first week of my drastic move? Yes, I began seeing results in my ideal weight goal. I set my intention to gaining weekly results and it's showing.

I also took it up a notch in the food department - adding more salad and fruit and cutting back on my portions of other foods, such as rice, pasta etc.

I take one day off to rest just to let my body rejuvenate itself, especially from the weight training. The extreme end for me would be to go completely vegetarian which is something I've considered but I'm not ready to completely give up on meat just yet. So I've decided on a working compromise - eliminating one day of meat to start. In this category, I'll say I'm back to #1 - start small or slowly.

It's all about where you are and what you're willing to do to get the results you desire to declutter any area of your life. But regardless of your level, you'll only make progress when you begin.

Fuelling words: I do what I can do with all the willingness that I'm willing to do to get to where I need to be.

Workout - walking, endurance exercise, weight lifting